14 



The vessels containing chloride of calcium should be double bot- 

 tomed, the inner one being perforated to allow of the escape of the 

 liquid cloride of calcium. Each time the case is opened the chloride 

 vessels should be looked to and the chloride renewed or added to as 

 necessary. When the trays are filled with vanilla and the chloride 

 vessels are in their places the door is closed and should fit perfectly into 

 the door jamb. To be quite sure that the boxes are hermetically closed 

 all rivets in the box should be soldered beforehand. 



Every two or three days the vanilla is carefully examined, and pods 

 showing moisture are taken out and put aside to be sunned and pre- 

 pared by themselves in a special box where they are all collected. 



In from 25 to 30 days the vanilla will have reached the required 

 degree of dryness. Practice will show the exact moment when they 

 shonld be withdrawn. 



Vanilla insufficiently dried will not keep and breed small 

 worms ; vanilla over-dried keeps well, but it is not supple, it is called 

 " brolsen " (bris^e) and has less commercial value. 



4. After leaving the box, the vanilla is placed for several days on 

 small frames in a covered and well-ventilated place, then it is removed 

 and shut up in tin boxes, each holding from 15 to 20 kilos, of vanilla. 



There it remains for several weeks, being examined every two or 

 three days and any showing traces of mildew are carefully wiped. 



When it is thought that the vanilla has reached perfection (rendue 

 a point) and its perfume well developed, the cleaning of the vanilla is 

 taken in hand in order to remove the dust and the germs of mildew 

 which may adhere to it. V^auilla which is not subjected to this process 

 is dull in colour and does not keep well. 



Twenty-five to thirty litres of water at about 60 per cent. (140 ® 

 Fahr.) are emptied into a perfectly clean receptacle and 15 to 20 kilos, 

 of vanilla are thrown into it and vigorously stirred up in the water by 

 hand. 



The pods are withdrawn, lightly wiped and put to dry in the shade. 

 In a few days when the pods are dry, they are sorted and classed 

 according to length and quality, and made up in bundles. All these 

 operations must be conducted with the greatest care. The bundles are 

 placed in tin boxes with covers. Each box contains only vanilla of the 

 same length and quality and holds from 4 to 5 kilos, each. 



Vanilla should never be sent away immediately after dealing with 

 it. It must be watched for at least a month to be quite sure that it 

 will keep good during a sea voyage. 



During the time it is being watched the boxes should be examined 

 twice a week and every pod showing the least trace of moisture should 

 be withdrawn. 



The mildewed pods are worked up by various processes and sold as 

 quite inferior vanilla. 



