----------------------------------------------- Pods per pound. -------------+----------------+---------------- | Fresh gathered | | (about). | Dry (about). -------------+----------------+---------------- 9-inch pods | 20 | 65 8-inch pods | 25 | 80 7-inch pods | 33 | 110 6-inch pods | 50 | 160 ----------------------------------------------- The following crops, produced on one estate during the last five years, will serve to show how uncertain are the returns from vanilla growing here: Pounds. 1893 (long dry spell for flowering time in 1892) 1,800 1894 (rain came too soon and spoiled good promise) 120 1895 (next to no dry spell for flowering in 1894) 40 1896 (excellent promise mostly spoiled by too early rain) 500 1897 (similar to the year before) 600 Expenses for labor during these years would be about 7,000 rupees (about $1,800 to $2,000). Present price of vanilla (June, 1897) in London market averages about $6 (25s.) per pound. The currency here is in Indian money--that is, rupees; nominal value of rupee, 1s. to 2s., but the actual value varies with price of silver and at present ranges between 1s. 2d. and 1s. 3d. The day begins at 6 a. m. and work continues until 5 p. m., or to 4 p. m. on some properties; 11 to 12 is breakfast time. Rough work is quickest got through by giving “tasks,” when the negroes become energetic. Ordinary estate laborers are paid 12 rupees ($3.40) per month; women for crop curing, etc., are paid 9 rupees ($2.60) per month; women and children for flower fecundating, one-fourth rupee (7 cents) per day, the “day” being when work is over, early or late. Vanilla packet tying, 2 rupees (58 cents) per 100 bundles of 50 pods each; vanilla measuring, 2 rupees (58 cents) for same quantity (5,000 pods). Straight-stemmed palms, if stout, may be used for supporting the vanilla vines. By driving hard-wood pegs into them obliquely at suitable heights the vines can be hung about them as in tree forks. When long vanilla cuttings are planted near blossoming time, some of them often give flowers soon afterwards. It is best to cut these off, as cropping a vine when newly planted lessens the growing power, and it may hang for many months, but in a regular plantation vines flowering too heavily may be relieved by cutting off one or more of the flowering branches. These may be planted for the one small crop they will give--3 or 4, or up to 10 or 12 pods, according to length and vigor. For this they may be planted close together on low bars and posts, and need well-rotted manure for immediate and abundant nourishment. The best time to plant for this is a few days before the first flowers open; if cut earlier many of the flowers will die back.