422 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [Dec. i, 1897. 
their commercial value. Within twenty-four hours 
after gathering the pods should he dried in 
tins not too large to prevent all the 
vanilla from being heated evenly ; old petroleum- 
tins do very well. The tin is lined all through with 
wool, a quantity of vanilla-pods placed vertically at 
the bottom, and a horizontal layer laid on the top 
of the first one. A number of tins are then put in 
a halved wine-barrel, and hot water poured into the 
barrel up tothe lid of the box; hut no water must 
penetrate it. The barrel is covered with a piece of 
sacking and left overnight. The pods are then taken 
out, dried for a while in the air, and then indirectly 
exposed to sunlight, covered with a woollen cloth, and 
spread on shallow wooden boxes placed upon trestles. 
'This first drying generally takes two or three days, 
and is completed when the pods have acquired uni- 
formity of colour. 
At this point the calcium-chloride process comes 
into operation. This is cai’ried on in a galvanised- 
irou box, 40 inches long and broad, provided with a 
hinged door with indiarubber edging — airtightness 
being a necessary condition for the success of the 
process. 
The apparatus, as will be seen, is the same in 
construction as an ordinary hot-air chamber. The 
sliding hurdle frames rest on side brackets, a calcium- 
ehloride tray being placed in the centre, and at the 
bottom. The vanilla-frames should not be made of 
resinous wood ; split rattan is the best. The calcium- 
chloride vessels should be double-bottomed, the upper 
bottom being perforated, in order to allow the liquid 
(CaCl 2 is extremely deliquescent) to escape. As a rule, 
the process of drying takes from twenty-five to thirty 
days. The box should be opened every two or three 
days, and all mouldy pods removed. The usual charge 
for a whole box is 40 ib. of calcium chloride and 100 
lb. of vanilla-pods. Any mouldy pods removed during 
the process of drying should be sunned, collected, 
and dried in a separate box. 
When sufficiently dried, the vanilla-pods are exposed 
on small frames f r several days in a covered and 
well-ventilated place, and then put in tins holding 
from 30 to 60 lb. each. The pods are kept in these 
tins for several weeks, well closed, and are examined 
every few days, all pods showing traces of mildew 
being carefully wiped. When the pods appear to have 
reached full perfection of aroma the last stage but 
one in the treatment is reached. It consists in wash- 
ing the pods in a receptacle containing clean water 
of a temperature of 60° C. (140° F.). About three 
pints of water should be used for every pound of 
vanilla-pods, and the pods well stirred by hand during 
the washing-process. They are then lightly wiped 
and put to dry in the shade. In a few days they 
are ready for sorting according to length and quality, 
bundling, and boxing. Vanilla ought not lo be shipped 
mntil at least a month after being boxed. Every few 
days it should be examined, and all pods showing 
traces of moisture removed. 
The action of calcium chloride is of course due to 
the avidity with which it absorbs moisture. The 
advantages of the calcium -chloride proce-s are that 
the loss of aroma almost inseparable from the o:d 
curing-processes is avoided, and that there is a great 
saving of hand-labour (which, in Reunion, costs about 
Is fid a day). Vanilla has realised very high prices 
recently, and its culture is extending in various parts 
of the Tropics. In Reunion there is now hardly a 
BUg'rr estate which has not more or less land under 
vanilla. Many large planters cultivate noth! g but 
vanilla, and in the parishes of Ste. Rose, St. Philippe, 
and St. Joseph the little plots of ground round the 
huts are covered with vanilla-creepers. When the 
pods are ripe they are sold green to neighbouring 
merchant, realising quite- a small fortune for the 
grovrer. The only drawback to the crop is that it 
gives rise to a great deal of theft. Mamy small for- 
tunes have been made by illicit va ilia buyers, but 
the detection of the culprits is almost as difficult as 
^at of diamond-thieves at the mines.— Chemist and 
vggist, Qct. SQ. 
COCA fERYTIlROXYLON COCA, LA M 
BY J. F. B.VILKY. 
Cultivation. — The Coca is cultivated very largely 
in the Andes of Peru, Bolivia, Columbia (especially 
in the very moist mild climate met with at from 
2,000 to .5,000 feet above sea-level), parts of Brazil, 
and many other countries of South America. The 
plants are propagated from seed, which should be 
sown as soon after gathering as possible (as like 
many other seeds in this climate, they do not keep 
well), in a plantation set apart for the purpose. 
When the seedlings are about six indies high they 
may be transplanted to their permanent situations. 
Collection, Puepaiition, etc. — Great cave must be 
talcen in the gathering, drying a.nd preservation of 
coca, as its activity and value depend in a great 
measure on its mode of preparation. The leave.? 
should be gathered as soon as they have arrived 
at maturity, at which period they are bright-green 
on the upper surface and yellowish-green on their 
under surface, and have an agreeable and some- 
what aromatic odour. The leaves are gatherei sepa- 
rately and carefully by linnd with the twofold 
object by preventing them being crushed or bruised 
in the process ; and also so as not to injure the 
young leaf buds vhich are left behind for the pur- 
pose of obtaining a second crop of leaves. They 
are then spread out and dried slowly in the sun. 
This operation must be performed with great are, 
for if the leaves be dried too rapidly, they lose 
their odour and green colour; and if stored away 
before they are thoroughly dried their colour is 
also changed, and they acquire a disagreeable odour 
and taste. — Queensland Anricultural Journal for 
October 1897. 
PLANTING NTOES. 
Eucalyptus Oil. — The trust in the. therapeutical 
efficiency of this oil has passed its zenith and is 
evidently much on the decline. Most of the oil is 
still coming from Australia whose total export of the 
various eucalyptus oils amounted to the value of 
i'5181 in 1895. As the average value per pound is 
about Is fid this amount represents about fi9,fi'80 lb. of 
oil. Algeria is still pioducing considerable amounts 
of oil ; however, it cannot successfully compete with 
Australia. More recently the d stillation of eucalyp- 
tus oil has also been imroducted into Northern Por- 
tugal. The leaves used are from Eucalyptus globulus 
La Billardiere and Eucalyptus resinifera Smith. The 
latter species is remaikable for its rapid growth; the 
oil obtained from the same consists mainly of a 
hydrocarbon of turpentine oil odor, so that it hardly 
will meet with much favor. We expect soou to re- 
ceive samples of the oils of both species for esti- 
mation . — Schimmel <£■ Co.'s lieport. 
Lf.hongkass Oil. — The shipments from the coasts 
of Malabar have been considerably greater than 
hose stated in our last Report. They amounted to : — 
Season of 1891/92 
„ „ 1892/93 
„ „ 1893/94 
„ „ 1894/95 
„ „ 1895/96 
„ „ 1896/97 
1450 cases. 
1863 
2332 
2370 
3079 
3000 
n 
These figures show that the production keeps .n a 
close ratio with the ii. creased consumption. E'^ach 
prigiiral case contains 12 wine bottles filled with 
oil. Small instalments of oil of inferior quality are 
legularly shipped from Ceylou, but the production 
of this oil seems to be constantly on the decrease 
in Ceylon as is to be seen from the blue-books of 
the Straits-Settlements, while that of oil of citro- 
nella is very considerable. The demand for lemon- 
grass oil was brisk and most of the recent crop has 
been sold in advance and for delivery in fall. We 
are booked for 500 cases. In consequence of this 
demand, the prices have advanced from 2d per lb. 
(o 2|d, and may go still higher during the time of 
delivery and use , — Schimmel di Co.’s Report, 
