14 
The yield for 1917 is also considered as the natural yield of the plots. The year under 
review was more unfavourable to coconut yield than in 1916. At Long Island which is used as 
a quarantine station and where several hundreds of labourers were encamped during 191F 
much pilfering invariably tabes place. In ordinary and normal years the number of persons 
sent to this quarantine station is small and there is little or no pilfering. The system of 
plucking the nuts on the tree 4 times a year was carried out in anticipation of the pilfering 
in question. 
Owing to the empoverishment of the land in the past, it has been found impossible to 
©gtablish the ordinary members of the leguminous family as green manures in order to enrich the 
soil in nitrogen and prevent erosion. These plants (cow peas, velvet peas, wild indigo) made 
no growth except on plot 5 where these leguminous plants come out in striking contrast with 
the results in the other plots. The small seedlings of indigo and velvet beans dried out every¬ 
where when 2 to 6 inches high except on plot 5 where they actually covered the ground. As 
plot 5 received lime the well known beneficial effect of this amendment on legu uiuous plants 
was well illustrated. On plot 10 which received coral sand instead of lime the effect was very 
slight and almost negligible. When coral sand is used it has to be ground very fine to pro¬ 
duce an immediate effect. As the question of preventing erosion appaared important the 
attempt to grow leguminous plants was given up and the ordinary vigorous Asystasia coro- 
mandeliana was adopted as a green manure plant although it is not so beneficial as regards 
improvement of the chemical constituents of the soil. 
CHAPTER VII. 
THE VANILLA INDUSTRY. 
The vanilla crop was exported to the amount of tons in 1917. A large part of the 
crop still remains unexported. Rs 50,000 represent the declared value of tlie amount exported. 
20 years ago the value of the vanilla crop exceeded 1 million Rupees when 50 tons used to be 
exported annually. Four reasons. were urged in the report of last, year to account for the* 
present crops which have been very low for the last 10 years. 
Via 1. Reduction of area planted owing to the 7 years of drought which lasted from 
1904 to 1911, the orchid being unable to stand dry weather for loug. 
2. More money has been iuvested in coconut planting which has become a more paving 
industre than vanilla. 
3. Disease caused by the Calospora fungus. 
4. Improper conditions of soil occuring through exhaustion by repeated culture of the 
orchid on the same piece of land. 
The influence of these factors have remained the same and owing to the abnormally wet 
weather at the end of 1916 and beginning of 1917 the fungus disease hag become even more 
acute. 
Another 'factor which is a corollary of the above is that owing to over-production and 
competition with vanillan the price of vanilla is still going down and there is no signs of any 
improvement. Vanillin is not, properly speaking, a, substitute ; it is a vegetable substance of 
the same composition as that which gives to vanilla its aroma. 
It is manufaeted mostly from oil of cinnamon leaves and clove which, curiously enough,, 
this colony is exporting on a greater scale every year. There is therefore little likelihood 
that vanilla will ever regain its former position on the market. 
The planters who still continue to grow vanilla are principally those who devote little 
attention and money fsome Rs. 300 to Rs. 400 a year) to the orchid in the hope that at some 
time or other a good flowering will f ake place and recoup them at one stroke for the expenses 
incurred during the bad years. 
x do not think this is a wise policy except for those planters who still have a good virgin 
soil rich in humus most favourable to vanilla, and a site properly sheltered from the wind. 
Owing to diseases vanilla vines die out almost everywhere in the Colony and if the disease 
is not put under control the above system of indolent cultivation will lead to no results. The 
more vanilla becomes affected by diseases the more it should be carefully tended. It is au 
orchid which has to be sheltered and properly shaded, and the slightest touch of fungus 
disease and physiological weakness causes it to remain unproductive for several y r ears. 
MANURING EXPERIMENTS. 
Part of the experimental plots Nos. 1 to 13 has been under treatment for 3 years. Little 
flowering took place this year owing to the prolonged period of drought which prevailed in 
August, September and October. The dry weather lasted a month too long. 
No. of plot. Treatment. No. of times Pods Pods 
treated during obtained obtained Total. 
1 
No manure 
the year. 
in 1916. 
1917. 
3 
3 
2 
Leguminous mulch ... 
3 
5 
18 
23 
3 
Ordinary mulch 
3 
12 
12 
4 
Lime 
1 
27 
27 
5 
Phosphate 
1 
22 
22 
6 
Complete fertilizer 
3 
7 
„ soluble fertilizer. 
9 
3 
39 
8 
Potassium Sulphate 
9 
39 
39 
9 
,, Chloride 
9 
16 
3 
18 
10 
Ammonium Nitrate 
9 
11 
Sodium Nitrate 
9 
22 
22 
12 
Complete fertilizer 
3 
32 
0*0 
32 
13 
No manure ... 
etc 
19 
5 
24 
