II 
VANILLA 
87 
right grades of vanillas, I have no doubt that they would meet 
a ready sale, and at remunerative prices, and we might again 
see London the chief market for vanillas. In spite of the 
ever increasing demand for the synthetic vanillin crystals, the 
beans still hold their own. 
The inquiry in New York was made from Messrs. 
Gillespie Bros, and Co. Part of the letter of reply from 
this firm stands as follows : — 
We have interviewed the principal broker in vanillas, and 
also one of the largest users. Neither of them is inclined to 
attribute the present high price of vanillas entirely to the 
Pure Food Act, but rather to short crops and an increasing 
demand. The Pure Food Law has probably had some effect, 
but articles such as vanillin, which is a synthetic vanilla, is 
being used in as large quantities as ever, and its sale is not 
prohibited so long as the packages are clearly marked vanillin. 
The broker advises us that there is always a ready sale 
for vanilla of good quality, but was unwilling to name any 
price as being obtainable for an article or quality with which 
he was not entirely familiar. He laid great stress upon the 
fact that the value of vanillas depended almost entirely upon 
the curing and the packing, but, on the whole, was inclined to 
encourage planters to go in for the cultivation. 
The consumer, on the other hand, is not in favour of 
attempting to grow vanillas on a large scale in the West Indies. 
He says that he has himself several times tried to work up 
the trade in two or three of the islands, and that his experience 
is that there is not sufficient labour, or cheap enough labour, 
to enable the article to compete with the products of other 
countries. He admits that, on present prices, the vanilla could 
be grown with good profit in the West Indies, as prices are 
two or three times as high as were obtainable three years ago, 
but in his opinion there will be a large crop next year, and 
price will adjust themselves. He points out that it takes three 
years before the vines will bear, and that as the present high 
prices have now been in force for two or three years, the older 
planters in the other islands, who planted immediately, have 
now got large new plantations just about to commence bearing, 
and it is for this reason that he expects a decline in the 
market. 
This particular buyer obtains practically all of his supplies 
from France, and tells us that, whereas in former days he used 
to be able to buy in London to good advantage, the fact that 
the Bourbon (Ee union) Island vanilla has to go to France, has 
