The main centres of vanilla-production are as follows :—Mexico : the slopes of the Cordillera, N.-W. of Vera Cruz, concentrated about Jicaltepec, near Nautla ; the baynillales on the W. declivity, in Oaxaca State ; the States of Tabasco, Chiapas, and Yucatem. E. Mexico exported about 2 0,000 kilo. (of 2.2 lb.) in 1861, via Vera Cruz and Tampico, mostly to Bordeaux ; the French importations had declined to 6896 kilo. in 1871, and 1938 iu 1872. Reunion (Bourbon) : exported 3 kilo. in 1849, and 30,973 kilo. in 1877 ; the crop of 1878-9 was 31,615 kilo. The plantations are much injured by periodical cyclones, and by microscopic fungi (chiefly Bacterium putredinis), but careful pruning and rnanuriog (phosphoric acid and potash principally, also lime and magnesia) have done much to counteract these evils. Mauritius : this island shipped 7139 lb. in 1872, and 20,481 lb. in 1877 ; the value was 299,510 rupees (of 2s.) in 1874, but only 169,966 in 1878. Among other countries, it may be mentioned that the culture is much extending in the Seychelles, and in Ceylon ; while the plant is abundant (wild) in Honduras, and grows successfully in Madagascar. Also Panama exported 649/. worth to the United States in 1879 ; and Guatemala, 49 quintals to California in the same year. Tahiti exported 1719 lb., 575/., in 1878, and 1426 lb., 570/., in 1879. Very large quantities are grown in Java. The approximate London market values of " salt " pods are 15-40s. a lb. for good to fine, and 8s.-37s. 6d. for inferior.
Unenumerated.—Our imports of unenurnerated spices in 1880 were from :—China, 7,180,961 lb., 143,4761.; British W. Indies, 5,106,803 lb., 104,4941.; British E. Indies, 1,781,451 lb., 128,4401. ; British S. Africa, 1,757,652 lb., 107,5041.; Aden, 1,099,733 lb., 68,5681. ; Native States E. Africa, 723,320 lh., 43,0611. ; Hulland, 414,095 lb., 38,4141.; Germany, 213,686 lb., 33421. ; other countries, 379,923 lb., 16,806/. ; total, 18,657,626 lh., 654,3051. The total in 1876 was only 7,553,328 lb. The re-exports in 1880 were 12,687,818 lb., 408,6231., chiefly to Germany, the United State,s, Holland, and Russia. Our imports of unenumerated sauces and condiments in 1880 were from :—China, 893,425 lb., 12,1981. ; British E. Indies, 314,000 lb., 10,4781.; France, 165,040 lb., 43091.; other couutries, 112,665 lb., 51691. ; total, 1,485,130 lb., 32,1541.
Bibliography.—A. Delteil, Etude sur la Vanille ' (Paris: 1874); J. E. O'Connor, Vanilla : its Cultivation in India' (Calcutta : 1875); A. II. Hassell, 'Food' (London : 1876); P. L. Simmonds, ' Tropical Agriculture ' (London : 1877) ; F. Haberlandt, Die Sojabohne ' (Vienna : 1878); Fluckiger and Banbury, 'Pharmacographia ' (London : 1879); E. von Blaskovies, ' Die Sojabohne ' (Vienna : 1880); E. M. Holmes, 'Star-Anise ' (Pharm. Jour., Vol. XI. [XL.], No. 547 (London : 1880).