574 
Vanilla. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
Dec,  1893. 
down  this  stream  with  both  men  and  women  propelling  them, 
which  was  a  curious  sight.  We  started  early  next  morning  for 
Papantla,  where  we  arrived  at  about  nine  o'clock  at  night.  This 
is  some  thirty-five  miles  further  inland.  It  is  a  city  of  about 
12,000  inhabitants,  and  is  composed  mostly  of  one  story,  lime- 
stone thatched  houses.  This  is  the  metropolis  of  the  Vanilla  grow- 
ing district,  situated  in  the  valley  surrounded  by  high  mountains 
on  all  sides.  This  is  the  county  seat.  Court  was  in  session  when 
we  arrived  there,  and  it  was  impossible  to  get  accommodations  at 
the  one  hotel  or  any  of  the  boarding  houses.  The  hotel  is  a  one- 
story  building,  composed  of  three  or  four  rooms  ;  these  were  all 
turned  into  sleeping  rooms  at  night,  and  everybody  had  to  sleep 
together — men  and  women — cots  were  arranged  side  by  side,  until 
there  was  scarcely  room  to  get  around.  As  the  climate  here  is 
always  warm,  eating  is  done  mostly  out  of  doors.  By  the  courtesy 
extended  to  me  through  letters  of  introduction  I  had,  I  was  taken 
and  well  cared  for  by  Mr.  Tremari,  who  is  one  of  the  first  citizens 
and  the  largest  curer  and  shipper  of  Vanillas  in  Papantla. 
At  last  after  countless  difficulties  and  strange  experiences  I  am 
at  the  goal  of  my  journey.  In  the  land  of  Vanillas,  in  the  centre  of 
a  district  from  which  a  large  portion  of  the  world's  supply  of  this 
luxury  is  derived,  and  in  readiness  to  transform  into  a  reality  the 
dream  of  years,  and  from  here  I  ask  you  to  pause  with  me  a  moment 
to  scan  briefly  the  history  of  this  strange  and  popular  product  of 
which  little  is  known  to  the  general  student. 
When  the  Spaniards  discovered  America  the  custom  among  the 
Aztecs  of  flavoring  chocolate  with  Vanilla  was  already  in  vogue. 
The  former  borrowed  the  practice  from  the  latter  and  transmitted  it 
in  turn  to  the  other  nations  of  Europe.  A  few  years  later  this 
valuable  product  became  an  export  article,  and  it  is  believed  that  the 
first  Vanilla  Bean  introduced  into  Spain  came  from  the  state  of  Oaxaca. 
It  is  raised  in  divers  parts  of  the  continent,  in  the  Island  of  Cuba 
and  other  Antilles,  and  in  some  portions  of  Africa  and  Asia  as  well, 
and  as  a  rule  wherever  there  is  heat  and  moisture  and  shade,  pro- 
vided the  lowest  temperature  in  winter  be  not  lower  than  65 0  F. 
At  first  that  which  grew  wild  in  the  woods  was  harvested,  and 
the  inference  is  clear  that,  in  proportion  to  its  gradual  diminution 
and  increasing  consumption,  it  was  found  necessary  to  foster  its 
growth  and  in  this  the  state  of  Vera  Cruz  took  the  initiative,  being 
