10 
early returns, but the spacing should not be too close for the con- 
venience of the workers. 
A very practical beginning for establishing clean cultivation in 
the site selected for the vanillery is to plant cuttings of dwarf bucare 
(Eryihrina corallodendron) 3 or 4 feet in length and about 2 inches in 
diameter considerably closer than those required for supporting the 
vanilla a year or more in advance of planting the vanilla. A planting 
at the station spaced 5 by 5 feet has made so dense a shade in 15 
months that almost no weeds would grow under it. The very few 
weeds which can survive this heavy shade are easily cleaned out. 
Then at setting the vanilla the shade trees can be thinned to a de- 
sirable degree furnishing mingled sunlight and shade. All super- 
fluous growth should be cut up and piled at the base of the supporting 
trees to furnish a mulch for the vanilla roots. Stock are fond of the 
leaves of the dwarf bucare and must be kept off the land from the 
time of planting the supports for the vines. 
PROPAGATION. 
be 
Vanilla is propagated by means of cuttings. These should 
taken from the most vigorously growing vines available. 
Short v. long cuttings. — The length of the cutting has a very 
pronounced influence on the development of the vine. To ascertain 
this effect the following experiment was undertaken: 
Eighty cuttings were made in four groups, respectively, of 2, 4, 8, 
and 12 internodal lengths of vine, no tender tips being used. Plant- 
ing conditions of soil, leaf mulch, and light were uniform for the four 
groups. The growth of this planting is shown in the following 
table, with a graphic representation in figure 2. 
Effect of length of cutting on growth of vanilla vines. 
Number of cut- 
tingsstarting 
growth in — 
Length 
of total 
new vine 
at 4 
months 
after 
planting. 
Number 
of vines 
having 
5 feet 
of new 
growth 
at 5 
months 
after 
planting. 
Average 
new 
growth 
of vine 
per plant 
at 12 
months 
after 
planting. 
Length of cuttings. 
Three 
months. 
Six 
months. 
2 internodes 
3 
10 
11 
16 
16 
19 
19 
20 
Inches. 
31 
102 
216 
499 
1 
5 
10 
18 
Feet. 
4.7 
4 internodes 
7.7 
8 internodes 
10.7 
16.7 
In the group of shortest cuttings, two of which remained alive 
through the first year failed to start any growth of vine in this time, 
but one of these started growing at a little more than 15 months after 
planting. Of each of the next two lengths, one cutting died without 
