soldiers, are sent to the other islands annually, with axes, 
to destroy the Clove trees : thus, as the Abbé Raynar ob- 
serves, maintaining a perpetual struggle with the liberality of 
nature. In the Molucca Islands, having subdued the princes 
by force of arms, they made conditions with them, princi- 
pally with reference to the Clove trade ; compelling them, 
at first, not to sell any of the Cloves, produced in their 
respective dominions, to any other nation, and afterwards 
to destroy all the Clove trees which grew in their territories, 
for which they were to receive indemnity in money. Thus 
did they, for a time, keep exclusive possession of this trade, 
and were enabled, at pleasure, to raise and Jower the price ; 
committing to the flames such overstock spice, as they could 
not sell on their own terms. 
They also reduced the quantity of bearing trees in their 
own ion, to five hundred thousand Cloves ; which 
yield, upon the av e, at least a million of pounds per 
annum. One of the largest sales ever made in Holland, 
was (in 1714) 435,427 Ibs. ; but in, 1758, 200,000 tbs., in 
1778, 234,271 tbs., and in 1738, 400,000 tbs.; whilst in the 
Indies, about 150,000 lbs. or 200,000 lbs. according to the 
English Editor of Sravorinus’s travels, were disposed of ; 80 
that a great superfluity must still always have remained in 
the hands of the monopolizers. 
A better state of thigs now exists, and the Clove is cul- 
tivated wherever human industry has carried it to.a suitable 
soil and climate ; and numerous other countries possess this 
yrecious vegetable. The French introduced it to their 
islands of Mauritius and Bourbon, through the medium of 
M. Porvre their intendant of those islands, who sent two 
vessels in 1769, to the kings of Gueby and Patany; to pro- 
cure the Clove and other valuable spices ; and they have 
been found to succeed so well, that in the year 1802, when 
Mr. Bory pe Sr. Vincent was in the Mauritius, he visited 
the individual tree which was first planted by the philan- 
thropist Porvre; saw it loaded with Cloves; and ascertained 
_ that it had, in some years, alone produced the extraordinary 
quantity of 125 lbs. of this spice : whereas, the average 
Siero in Amboyna, is 2 or 2}. lbs. perannum. It requires 
five thousand Cloves to weigh a pound ; consequently, here 
were 625,000 flowers upon this single tree (independent 
of others, which were, perhaps, left for seed); ‘‘a fact,” sayS 
Bory ve Sr. Vincent, “ which would appear incredible, 
were we not to mention, that this beautiful tree is at least 
forty feet high, throwing out innumerable branches, 5” 
Sarge o 
