32 
SPICES 
CHAP. 
sized cuttings is preferable to one raised from seed, as 
it grows faster in the beginning. 
Such trees are Pterocarpus indicus, and Lager- 
stroeraia Flos-Reginae or Jiorihunda or Erythrinas. 
Of these a branch 3 or 4 ft. long, and or f of an inch 
through, grows very readily. 
Delteil suggests as suitable trees cacao, the Jack 
tree, mangoes, loquat, Alhizzia Lehheh, Bombax mala- 
haricum, Ficus elastica, and F. indica, and Jatropha 
curcas, the physic nut. Some of these I would 
suggest are rather too slow in growth, and others are 
apt to grow too tall and do not branch sufficiently. 
The physic nut is recommended by many planters. Its 
advantages are that it is common, being often used for 
fences ; it can be propagated by cuttings, but also grows 
rapidly from seed ; it does not grow tall and is well 
branched, and sufficiently strong to carry the vine. In 
Singapore I find it too slow and not sufficiently tall for 
the purpose, but in drier climates it appears to grow 
faster and stronger. 
Croton tiglium, the croton-oil plant, is recommended 
by some, and is said to be the only plant that will carry 
vanilla through a hurricane. It is not, however, a plant 
which will grow everywhere, and is not always a fast 
grower. Macfarlane suggests the shrubby Bauhinia 
purpurea and the arnotto, Bixa orellana. The latter, 
as he justly remarks, gives the deeper shade. Almost 
any of the erect Bauhinias would do, but B. variegata 
and B. purpurea are both strong well-growing plants. 
The arnotto and the Bauhinias grow fast and easily 
from seed in good soil, and are able to support the vines 
in from eighteen months to two years. 
In the Singapore Botanic Gardens vanilla has been 
very successfully grown on the oil-palm, Elaeis guineen- 
sis, which, from the good light shading its foliage gives 
and the projecting leaf bases usually full of decayed 
vegetable matter, forms an ideal support, but un- 
fortunately it is of comparatively slow growth. 
Trellis Cultivation. — Instead of using living trees 
