416 ODOROGRAPHIA. 



Special care is taken in planting out. The earth round the 

 plant is loosened by a peculiar triangular-shaped spade used 

 especially on clove plantations, and called " moaa," and in use in 

 Zanzibar, as well as the ordinary native "jembe"or hoe. The 

 plant is then carefully lifted out by the hand with as much earth 

 adhering to the roots as possible, and placed upon two strips of 

 banana fibre previously placed crosswise upon the ground. (Each 

 strip of fibre is about 3 inches to 4 inches wide, by 1| feet to 2 

 feet in length). The four ends are then taken up, wrapped round 

 the plant and firmly tied together. The plant is then carried to 

 its destination, the strips of fibre effectually keeping the earth in 

 position. Before planting, the pieces of fibre passing beneath are 

 cut at each corner, and the plant finally placed in the hole 

 prepared for it and the earth heaped round ; the four ends of the 

 fibre left at the sides are then removed one by one, the bottom 

 portions being cut through, enabling this to be done with ease. 



If the weather be hot, or in the event of drought, the young 

 plant is watered in the evening daily, and watering is continued as 

 required until the plant attains the height of 18 inches, or roughly 

 speaking, during the space of one year. The young plants are not 

 shaded in any way after planting. There appears to be great 

 mortality among young plants and a good deal of supplying is 

 required ; a nursery being deemed indispensable for five years after 

 a plantation is first opened up. (Probably were the plants shaded 

 until established, their level raised and less frequently watered, 

 and better hardened off before planting out, this excessive 

 mortality would be checked). N'o ground or other cultivation is 

 permitted amongst the cloves, but slaves everywhere appear free 

 to cultivate their own plots and gardens amongst the trees, and I 

 also observed cassava growing in a clearing of young clove trees. 

 The general run of small " shambas " consists of cloves, cocoanuts, 

 mangoes and other fruit trees, all planted indiscriminately and 

 close together. Xo pruning whatever appears to be done and no 

 manuring either, apart from fallen leaves, and this in the more 

 favoured localities where the rows of clove trees shade the ground 

 must add greatly to the fertility of the soil, the accumulation of 

 leaves being considerable and the flat nature of the ground 

 preventing wash. 



There are now some trees growing on the island which are said 

 to be nearly 90 years of age, but the average length of life of the 



