30 
for the earlier drying, the curing is completed with the pods spread 
on shelves at ordinary temperature. The pods should be stirred 
frequently while on the shelves to promote uniformity in drying and 
for the removal of moldy pods. 
The degree of dryness demanded by different markets varies, the 
American market preferring a drier bean than the European. Th e 
important point is to dry sufficiently to insure good keeping qual- 
ities. When sufficiently dry, the beans should still be supple, never 
brittle. One indication of nearly completed curing is that the con- 
tents of the pod slip along easily when pressed between the fingers, 
but the pod should not feel soft and mashy. The time which must 
elapse between picking and becoming sufficiently dry for storing 
away varies with the bean, this being for some very short thin pods 
only about three weeks, while very long fleshy pods may require 
more than three months. Six to nine weeks would be a fair average 
time. 
Upon the completion of the drying process the beans are stored 
in tins with close-fitting tops and should be examined frequently for 
the removal of moldy pods. Many beans which have started to 
mold may be saved in part by cutting away the moldy portion. 
The sound fragments from moldy pods should be inspected frequently 
until all which are not going to keep well have been discarded. If 
before marketing the crop is kept several months after curing, most 
of the podsVhich are apt to mold can be seen and removed. 
PREPARATION FOR MARKET. 
Vanilla beans are sold by weight. The manner of presenting 
them on the market varies with the source of the beans, some being 
sold loose in bulk, others sized and done up into bundles of 50 to 
90 beans each. 
The ratio of the weight of fresh to dried beans varies with different 
curers and is said to range from 4, or even 6, to 1. In the 1917 
station crop, the weight of the fresh beans was to their cured weight 
as approximately 4 to 1. The New York dealers to whom this crop 
was submitted reported it as very nicely cured but thought that the 
drying should have been continued until the beans were considerably 
firmer. The number of beans per pound for each length from 4 to 
8 J inches is shown in the table on p. 27. 
The beans make a better appearance if they are wiped with a soft 
cloth before bundling, but if crystallization has begun the crystals 
should be left untouched. 
Sizing must be done by hand. A convenient measure for the 
purpose is made by marking on a sheet of paper a scale with quarter- 
inch divisions between 4 and 10 inches. This is pasted to the lower 
side of a pane of glass which can be cleaned easily. This should be 
placed on a table of sufficient size to accommodate all of the different 
