FIG. 1.--Hand pollination of the vanilla flower (after A. Delteil, La Vanille, Paris, 1897, Pl. 2). _a_ shows the position of hands, needle, and flower in the operation of pollination, first stage; _b_, operation of pollination, second stage; _c_, flower with male organs raised (pollen masses shown at 1); _d_, flower from which outer parts have been removed, showing pollen masses at 1, stigma at 2, and the gynostemium at 3; _e_, perfect flower; _f_, longitudinal section through male and female organs of the flower before hand pollination, showing pollen mass in the anther or male organ at 1; _g_, similar section after hand pollination, showing the pollen mass applied to the stigma at 1. ] But, generally speaking, about 30 pods to a vine is as many as should be left, and he would be a lucky planter who should average that number. In selecting flowers to fertilize those should be chosen which spring from the lower part and from the sides of the flower stalks, from which position they grow straighter pods than those coming out on top. In favorable weather, i. e., moist but not heavy rain (which latter often washes the pollen grains away before they germinate), only a small percentage of flowers will fail of fecundation. In case of failure, the flower drops off in three days or less, but otherwise remains attached to its stalk and slowly withers; the _gynostemium_ adheres to most pods till they begin to ripen; thus it is easy to see the number successfully fecundated in each bunch, and where enough are secured the rest can be broken off. Later it is advisable to cut clean off with a knife the flower stalk a quarter of an inch or so beyond the last fertilized flower. Some planters plaster a bit of sticky clay on the cut surface to prevent it rotting back. Dry lime is perhaps better; this may be dabbed on with a piece of cloth dipped in the powder.