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split — distinct on the shelves. This facilitates the sorting, the short" 

 and split pods needing to be examined sooner and oftener than the 

 longer and sound sorts, as they dry more rapidly. 



A good average heat for the hot chamber is 110° F. A few degrees 

 more or less does not matter, but pods are apt to dry too quickly if the 

 heat is much greater. The slower the process the more uniform and 

 better is the result. As they begin to turn soft and show longitudinal 

 wrinkles the pods are removed from room 1 to 3, and after reaching a 

 certain degree of flexibility they pass on to the shelves in room 4 and 

 there finish their curing, If kept too long in either a hot or a warm 

 room the thin ends of pods shrink too quickly, and this is to be avoided. 

 In a large crop there are always some inferior, ill-nourished pods, in 

 which this occurs, but the last remark will be useful to a beginner. 

 When fully cured the pods are much wrinkled and pliable, bending 

 easily around one's finger. There is considerable difference in the 

 degree of dryness preferred by different curers. If the contents move 

 easily all along a pod, without any unevenness being noticed when it 

 is drawn between the finger and thumb, it is nearly dry enough ; but 

 the right stage can only be learned by experience 



When finished the pods are well wiped with bits of soft flannel and 

 then kept in boxes with close-fitting lids. It is better to sort them 

 roughly into lengths as each day's lot is put away and tie up in the 

 various skes in bundles of about 200 each if the numbers allow of it, 

 for they have to be examined once or twice a week in order to remove- 

 the moulded ones, and this is much more quickly done with bundles than 

 when they are loose. Moreover, it makes the ultimate accurate meas- 

 uring easier. Either at this time or later the different qualities are 

 more exactly separated, none but faultless pods, without scar or defect 

 in curing, being allowed in the first quality. The rest rank as seconds, 

 etc. The split pods and the pods that have been cut on account of mould 

 are also kept distinct. It is well to keep a Grop at least three or four 

 months before marketing. By that tine nearly all shaky pods that are 

 liable to mould will have shown themselves. All are then measured 

 and tied up in neat bundles of 50 pods each of even length, the pods 

 varying in length not more than one- eight of an inch. 



The general slightness of a marketed crop has much influence on the 

 price it will bring, and whatever whims buyers get into their beads the 

 producer must conform to or suffer in pocket. Bundle tying is some- 

 thing of an art, and a deft hand at it is valuable. Sixteen or there- 

 abouts of the shapeliest pods in each 50 are selected for the outside ; 

 the rest are tied up as a core, being kept in position with a few turns 

 of the fibre tying cord, while the chosen 16 are carefully placed round 

 them. The bundle is tied in either three places, near each end and in 

 the middle, or in two places, an inch or more from the ends, according 

 to the length of bundle. The core-holding string is pulled out before 

 the final tie is fixed. Two- tie packets are boxed as they are. With 

 those of three ties buyers prefer that the end cords be removed before 

 packing, to enable them to examine the bundles ioside and see if the 

 contents are of uniform quality. If kept tied some time before bein g 

 packed the bundles set, as it were, and retain their neat shape. The 

 tin boxes used here for packing vanilla in measure 12£ by inches in 

 width, are 4J inches deep, and hold about 12 pounds. Each box has- 



