gslpt. i 1902. J THIJ TROPICAL AC^RICULTljRisi?; 
159 
days, thi* change in the direction of eap flow should 
be done preferably ten days or a fortnight before 
flowers begin to open. In a large plantation, unless 
the hands are very numerous or the shoots haye been 
arranged beforehand so that there is little else to do 
than cut their ends, it will take some weeks to 
accomplish this, and therefore work must begin earlier 
or fioish later. If the dry spell necessary for flower- 
ing has lasted a good while and can fairly be de- 
peoded upon to continue long enough, the crowing 
ends may be out earlier ; but it must be borne in 
mind that if rain in quantity comes too soon and, 
in addition to the stimulus giren by it, the branchei 
intended for flowering have also the sap from previously 
growing shoots poured into them, the chance of their 
•ropping well will be much diminished. Many 
a promise of a fine crop is ruined by too early rain 
here. The country, climate, and the planter's skill as 
ft weather prophet must govern this undertaking. 
An abundant supply of leaf mould should be in 
readiness for laying on the roots at this season, and 
■honld be applied when flowers begin to open, or a 
littl« before. If previous dressings have be so timed 
that vines are in a somewhat starved condition when 
flowering is>xpeoted, the chances of a good blossoming 
are increased, but the practice needs jadgement, or a 
poor quality of pods will be the result. 
There used to be a story current here, no doubt with 
■ome grain of truth in it, to the effect that in a very 
wet season the only vanilla planter who had any crop 
was one whose pigs had got adrift in his plantation 
and spent the night in grubbing up vanilla roots 
This method of producing flowers is not recommended 
bnt it is quite possible that oareful and systematic root 
pruning might be carried on with advantage in wet 
yews, if one conld tell beforehand when these were 
coming. 
POLtlHATION OF THH FLOWBKS. 
The work of flower fertilization (pollination) — fo"^ 
they have all to be fertilized by hand, and than 
on the day they open — is mostly done by women 
and children. The operation is a very simple one, 
and an averap^e negro will acquire the knack after 
being shown a few examples. 
[The illustration on the opposite page, reproduced 
from the Keio Bulletin, with its descriptive letter 
press will allow readers to follow «learly, Mr. 
Galbraith's description.— Ed. ^. .^.J 
The flower is taken in left hand, three fingers 
been placed at its back and the thumb in front the 
column with organs of fertilization on top being 
iopported against the middle speal behind. A bit 
of hard wood, cut to the size of a toothpick and 
soraped smooth and flat at one end, is the only tool 
required ; this is held in the right hand. To get at 
the organs of fertilization easily, the sack which 
grows from the side of the column enveloping its 
front and marking the sexual organs is pressed down 
by the bit of wood, or this is run through its base, 
aid the sack torn up, or the whole sack may be 
Slacked off with finger and thumb, it matters not 
ow it is laid open, so long as this is done quickly 
and without injury to any other part of the flower. 
The smooth end of the fecundating instrument is 
then laid flat on the front of the column just beneath 
the organs of fertilizatiou, and being pushed up it 
catches under tho flap which keeps the pollen from 
coming into contact with the stigma. The flap 
is raised along with the stick till it lies flat against 
npper part of the column, being held iu that position 
bv the bit of wood. The stamen, at first raised 
along with the flap, now falls down again in its 
original position, and the flap being out of the way 
the pollen comes into contact with the stigma, and 
a slight pressure of the thumb on the stamen lodges 
pollen in the position required ; the bit of stick being 
then quickly but gently withdrawn, the operation 
is complete. 
The whole a£fair is very much easier done than 
desarlbtd, and with flowers fairly numerous, an 
ordinary haud will f«cnndate a bnudrtd oi so pe^ 
hour. Early morning, from 7 to 9, is the best time 
for fertilizing ; but the work may be started with 
sunrise and carried on well into the afternoon, though 
about mid-day flowers begin to close some and the 
work goes slower. Most plants in fall crop produce 
many more flowers than it is advisable to fertilize, 
for other parts of the vines, besides the checked 
hanging branches, blossom in favourable seasons and 
the number of pods which a vine is able to mature 
properly must be estimated from the plants size and 
condition. In the course of four or five years, though 
by that time the plant cutting willl be spent, if well 
cared for it will have grown a large quantity of vine ; 
and as each new shoot, when long enough, sends down 
aerial roots in its own behalf, it becomes, so to 
speak, an independent plant and the parent of others. 
If none of the shoots from a strong growing vine have 
been removed the mass of growth in time becomes 
enormous, and may be equal to maturing a hundred 
or more good pods. When the supporting tree is 
stout and furnishes forks enough to admit of the vine 
being spread out so as to let plenty of air through 
it the vine may be allowed to accumulate to this 
extent, and if it gives, twenty clusters, each yielding 
ten or more flowers, five or six might be fertilized 
on each. 
But, generally speaking, about 30 pods to a vine ia 
as many as should be left, and he would be a lucky 
planter who should average that number. In selecting 
flowers to fertilize those should be chosen which 
spring from the lower part and from the sides of the 
flower stalks, from which position they grow straighter 
pods than those coming out on top. In favourable 
weather, i. e. moist but not heavy rain (which latter 
often washes the pollen grains away before they 
germinate), only a small percentage of flowers will 
fail of fecundation. In case of failure, the flower 
drops off in three days or less, but otherwise 
remains attached to its stalk and slowly withers ; 
the gynostemium adheres to most pods till they begin 
to ripen ; thus it is easy to see the number sue- 
oesafuUy fecundated in each bunch, and where enough 
are secured the rest can be broken off- Later it ia 
advisable to out clean off with a knife the flower stalk 
a quarter of an inch or so beyond the last fertilized 
flower. Some planters plaster a bit of sticky clay 
on the cut surface to prevent it rotting back. Dry 
lime is perhaps bettor ; this may be dabbed on with 
a piece of cloth dipped iu the powder 
Pods grow to their full size in five or six weeks, but 
take some eight months, more or less, according to 
the altitude at which they are grown, or the amount 
of shade over them, before they ripen. The indication 
of ripening is a slight yellowing of the whole pod, 
which is more marked near its free end. When 
under too much shade the change in colour is less 
noticeable, and many pods grown in such places 
split before they are gathered, and for that reason 
lose in value. To guard against splitting, and yet 
gather them at perfect ripeness, they should be gone 
•very other day, In removing them from the flower 
stalks the pods are grasped one by ons near their 
attached ends, very slightly twisted, and at the same 
time pressed aside with the thumb. Tbey must b« 
taken off quite clean. If a bit of the flower stalk 
comes away with a pod, aa sometimes will happen 
it should bo cut off smoothly. Any break or crack 
in the pod 'itself, however iitar its butt, ranks it is 
as an inferior quality. Buyers are very particular in 
this respect. After each day's gathering, before the 
pods are started on their fiist stage of curing, it is 
well to sort them roughly into four classes : 1, long 
2, medium ; short and 4, split. 
1 — portion of stem of Vanilla plant, with leaf, aeri.nl 
root, and clustes of flowers ; n, front view of Vanilla 
flower ; 6, side view ; c, aerial root, with root hairs. 
2— Single flower of Vanilla, exhibiting the first staga 
in the process of artificial fertilination. The operator, 
provided with a finely-pointed piece of bamboo, divides 
the lip or labellum medially, so that ths central lob« 
ia seporated from the^ two side lobes, Thi> exposes 
