Edible Products. 



22 



[July, 1910. 



while those from the flowers growing 

 upward develop a bend in the pods 

 which is difficult to eliminate without 

 splitting later on. 



Generally it has been fouud advisable 

 to go on pollinating the flowers until 

 more than are required have been set on 

 each cluster, when the undesirable and 

 crooked embryo pods are nipped off 

 with the finger and thumb. Pods 

 grown uuder excessive shade are long, 

 thin, soft, and difficult to ripen, being 

 apt to dry and wrinkle too much ; pods 

 from vines in too exposed or sunny situ- 

 ations on the other hand are fat, round, 

 and firm, with more flavour, but have to 

 be watched and harvested promptly, as 

 they generally evince an early tendency 

 to split either before harvesting or 

 during the early process of curing. 



A very wet season usually results in a 

 poor crop, and have a very dry one iu 

 weak pods. Seasons with sufficient 

 rain but well defined dry periods are 

 necessary for uniform and even crops, 

 but as seasons generally vary the 

 Vanilla crops fluctuate on the best of 

 plantations. 



Some fifty to sixty pods per vine, 

 obtained from eight or ten clusters of 

 five to seven each, would be a crop that 

 might reasonably be expected from five 

 to six year vines in Queensland without 

 being over sanguine. This would repre- 

 sent about i lb. of dry, marketable 

 Vanilla per vine. 



Old plants, both in Mexico and the 

 Seychelles, have been known to produce 

 200 clusters and 1,000 pods representing 

 nearly 10 lb. of marketable Vanilla, but 

 what is called a "bumper" crop, such 

 as this, though always within the range 

 of possibility under favourable condi- 

 tionis, unusual, and not to be calculated 

 upon. 



Ripening of Pods and Harvesting. 

 The pod, as already stated, commences 

 to grow almost immediately on the 

 successful attainment of the fecundation 

 or pollination. This rapid growth con- 

 tinues for a mouth or six weeks, by 

 which time the pod is about the size and 

 length of au average lead pencil. The 

 process of maturing is much slower, 

 taking five or six mouths louger. Prom 

 the pollinating of the blossom to ripen- 

 ing and harvesting of the pod seven to 

 nine or eveu ten months may elapse, 

 according to the season and the amount 

 of shade. It is better that the pods do 

 not ripen too quickly, and about nine 

 months is the usual time. 



Ripeness is indicated by the pod turn- 

 ing yellow. Before the pod ha9 turned 

 completely yellow, however, it usually 

 splits, and as split pods obtain a lower 

 price, the pods must be picked as soon 

 as the least yellowish tinge is observed 

 at the lower end. 



In picking, the pod should be grasped 

 by the whole haud and twisted upwards 

 or sideways ; if simply pulled either the 

 pod breaks, the whole cluster comes 

 away at once, or the vine is torn. As 

 pods ripen in about the same order as 

 the flowers were fertilised, the process 

 of collection is somewhat slow, and 

 must be continued daily as long as 

 necessary. If harvested too green they 

 are difficult to cure, and develop but 

 little aroma. 



Coring. 



In the green state the Vanilla pod has 

 little or no aroma or flavour, and more 

 or less treatment is always necessary. 

 The object aimed at in this treatment 

 is to endow the beans with picking 

 qualities, develop to as great extent as 

 may be possible the characteristic 

 aroma, &c, and to attain the colour and 

 condition required for the market. 



The first step in the process is the 

 stoppage of vegetation, usually accom- 

 plished by heating or dipping into hot 

 water ; the second is covering up in 

 blankets, &c. ; the third, sweating to 

 dispose of moisture, &c, by alternate 

 covering and exposure to the open air 

 and sun, and wiping ; and the last 

 step, handling to ensure evenness and 

 straightness, &c. 



There are a large number of different 

 methods of attaining these objects, the 

 processes in almost every country where 

 Vanilla is commercially produced differ- 

 ing in one or more respects. 



The first object is attained by heat- 

 ing in an oven or dipping icto hot 

 water. The latter process is the sim- 

 plest and best adapted for small growers 

 in Queensland. On being picked the 

 beans are roughly sorted into two sizes, 

 large and small. These are placed separ- 

 ately in a clean basket, and dipped 

 for about 20 seconds in a cauldron or 

 copper of water just off the boil ; 190° 

 Pahr. is the correct temperature (212° 

 Pahr. being boiling point). This dip- 

 ping should be done twice at intervals 

 of not more than a minute for the small 

 pods, aud three times for the large. 

 If the water is very hot the time may 

 be shortened somewhat, and if cooler 

 the basket of pods should be kept iu 

 a few seconds longer. In some places 

 the pods are strung together before 

 such dipping, but this is unnecessary. 



