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APPENDIX. 155 



The indiistiy received a check in 1872, the date of the great 

 hurricane. At least nine -tenths of the trees were destroyed at that 

 time, so the larger part of those now standing are of new gi-owth. 



A peculiarity of the clove tree is that every part is aromatic, but 

 the greatest strength is found in the bud, which is the ** clove" of 

 commerce. The finest quality of cloves arc dark brown in colour, 

 with full, perfect heads, free from moisture. 



In the cultivation of the clove, the first things to be done is the 

 starting- of the shoot. The seeds are planted in long trenches and 

 are kept well watered until after sprouting. In the course of forty 

 days the shoots appear above ground. They are carefully watered 

 and looked after for the space of two years, when they should bo 

 about 3 feet in height. They are then transplanted, being set about 

 30 feet ajmrt, and are kept watered till they bccomo well rooted. 

 From this time on the young trees require only ordinary care, though 

 •the best results are obtained when the ground about the trees is well 

 worked over and kept free from weeds. 



The grow^th of the tree is very slow, and five or six years are 

 required for it to come into bearing, at which time it is about the 

 size of an ordinary pear-tree, and is usually very shapely. It is a 

 pretty sight to see a young plantation just coming into bearing. 

 The leaves, of various shades of green tinged with red, serve to set 

 off the clusters of dull-red clove buds. 



As soon as the buds are fully formed and assume this reddish colour, 

 the harvesting commences, and is prosecuted for fully six months at 

 intervals, since the buds do not form simultaneously, but at odd 

 times throughout the whole period. The limbs of the tree being 

 very brittle, a peculiar four-sided ladder is brought into requisition, 

 and the harvesting proceeds apace. 



As fast as collected, the buds are spread out in the sun, until they 

 assume a brownish colour, when they are put in the storehouse and 



are ready for market. 



A ten-year-old plantation should produce an average of 20 pounds 

 of cloves to a tree. Trees of twenty years frequently produce 



upwards of 100 pounds each. 



The present season, commencing with July, 1889, is very favour- 

 able, and the crop will exceed that of any previous season. It will, 

 in all probability, amount to 13,000,000 pounds, averaging a local 

 value of 10 ce;its per pound. 



