IV 



CLOVES 165 



at about the same elevation as the nutmeg, but it seems 

 to be unable to grow well as high as that tree does. A 

 few hundred feet above sea-level seems to be its limit. 



The climate, temperature, and rainfall necessary for 

 it are the same as for the nutmeg, and as it demands 

 propinquity to the sea the area of its successful cultiva- 

 tion is practically limited to islands between the latitudes 

 of 20 north and 20 south of the Equator. 



Planting. The young trees are planted out at a 

 distance of 30 ft. apart. In Zanzibar this is done when 

 they are about 6 in. tall. In Bencoolen, in Sumatra, 

 it used to be the custom to wait till the plant is 4 ft. 

 tall. This long delay does not seem to have anything 

 particular to recommend it, and till it is from 6 to 10 

 in. tall is quite long enough to keep it in the nursery. 

 After lining the plantation out the holes should be dug 

 2 ft. wide and as deep, and filled with good humus, 

 leaf-mould, cow-dung if procurable, with burnt earth, 

 all well mixed together. 



In Zanzibar special care is taken to loosen the earth 

 round the little plant with a specially made triangular- 

 shaped spade. The plant is lifted with a good ball of 

 earth round its roots, and put in the centre of two 

 strips of banana sheath 3 to 4 in. wide and 1^ to 2 ft. 

 long. The strips are placed across each other, with a 

 plant in the middle, and the four ends of the strip are 

 taken up and fastened round the ball of earth by tying a 

 piece of fibre round the neck. Plants packed up in this 

 way can be carried easily and safely to their destination 

 without dropping the earth from their roots. The 

 plant is then put into a hole made in the earth which fills 

 up the large hole, and the soil heaped up round it, and 

 pressed firmly. The banana sheath is cut through, so as 

 to free the plant, and the strips removed. This method 

 of packing plants for transport is commonly used by 

 natives for all kinds of plants, and can be used for any 

 small trees, but care must be taken to straighten the 

 tap-root, if it has been bent during the packing. In 

 filling the hole, care must be taken to raise the mound 



