and Magazine of the Ceylon Agricultural Society,— October, 1912. 337 



THE VANILLA INDUSTRY OF THE 

 SEYCHELLES. 



In the preparation of vanilla beans in the Sey- 

 chelles, a successful result depends on the pods 

 being picked at the right stage of maturity more 

 than on anything else — that is, when they are 

 ripe and just before they begin to split. An 

 unripe pod will never prepare well, and is al- 

 ways inclined to become mouldy; split or over- 

 ripe pods have lost much of their value. A pod 

 in condition to be picked has lost to a great 

 extent its shiny green colour, has become duller, 

 with an almost silvery appearance. The longi- 

 tudinal lines along which it will eventually split, 

 if left, are distinctly marked. Tne tip is light 

 in colour, or even yellowish, and comes away 

 fairly evenly from the stalk when broken off. 

 Pods in a bunch seldom ripen simultaneously, 

 so they must be carefully watched. When 

 brought in, the pods are sorted into five quali- 

 ties — (1) over six inches long; (2)over four inches 

 long; (3) under four inches long; (4) split; (5) 

 unripe, broken, etc. A vessel of water is heated 

 to 188-6 deg. F ; the pods are placed in an open- 

 work basket, and dipped for ten seconds, with- 

 drawn, and allowed to drain for about five 

 seconds; dipped again for ten seconds, with- 

 drawn, and drained as before; dipped again for 

 about five seconds, or until their colour has 

 changed to a dark green. Large pods require 

 a longer third dipping than small ones. After 

 being scalded, the pods are wrapped in woollen 

 blankets and left in a warm, dry place for twelve 



43 



hours, when they have taken on a blackish hue. 

 They are then placed in trays in a room heated 

 to between 90° and 100° F., on one thickness of 

 blanket, and covered by another. In about ten 

 days the largest pods will have become wrinkled, 

 the smaller ones before that. When in this 

 state they can be removed to a cool drying room, 

 where they are placed on trays uncovered, 

 heaped on each other to a depth of three inchef, 

 and turned about every day. The more slowly 

 vanilla is dried the better. When the pods 

 are dry they are taken out and stored in a dry 

 place in wooden boxes. They are examined 

 thoroughly from time to time, to see that they 

 show no signs of mould. A dry pod should have 

 a silky feeling, the wrinkles must be soft, 

 there must be no hard centres, and it should 

 be possible to tie the pod in a loose 

 knot without breaking it. Absolute cleanli- 

 ness is observed all through the preparation, 

 and those who handle vanilla are careful 

 to wash their hands before touching it. When 

 sufficiently dried, the pods are put into a 

 vessel containing water at a temperature of 

 about 80 deg. to 90 deg. F., and stirred with the 

 hands for about five minutes, then taken out and 

 placed in trays or on a blanket in the sun, where 

 they soon dry. The pods are now measured and 

 tied in bundles of sixty pods each, with two 

 turns of flax thread in the middle only. Tin 

 boxes are used in the Seychelles, thirteen inches 

 long, nine inches broad, and six inches deep, a 

 lining of parchment paper being placed iu each. 

 The vanilla must be packed fairly loosely, and 

 the lid secured by solder.— Royal Society of Arts 

 Journal, Aug. 23. 



