192 SPICES 



CHAP. 



exported, but shortly afterwards many trees were 

 destroyed by cyclones and not replaced. In 1904, 

 11,502 kilos (25,304 Ibs.), valued at 6,902 francs, were 

 exported, all being sent to France. The returns of the 

 estates were very irregular. A tree one year would 

 give 10 kilos of cloves and next year only 2, and 

 the planter could only reckon on one good year in 

 five. The cultivation is now practically abandoned. 

 Madagascar exported in 1904, 77,501 kilos, valued at 

 10,440 francs; in 1905, 48,124 kilos, valued at 86,915 

 francs. 



There were then 409 hectares (about 900 acres) in 

 cultivation, of which 152 only were owned by Europeans, 

 the number of trees, young and old, being 113,350. 

 Nearly the whole of the cultivation lay in the isle Ste. 

 Marie, and the produce was exported to France. 



Malay Peninsula. The cultivation of the clove 

 tree is practically limited to Penang and Province 

 Wellesley, and in the latter province mainly to the 

 large hill known as Bukit Mertajam. The plants are 

 usually grown with or close to the nutmegs (which 

 have been already described), on steep clay hills over- 

 looking the sea, or in the winding valleys leading up 

 from the coast. As the hills are often steep they are 

 terraced, each terrace following the contour of the hills, 

 and being just wide enough to carry one row of trees. 

 Blocks of stone and sticks are used to keep up the edges 

 of the terraces when necessary, and the ground is kept 

 clean by weeding. No shade is used, the trees being 

 exposed to the full sun. Formerly this cultivation was 

 in the hands of Europeans, at least to a large extent, 

 but it has passed for some years now almost entirely 

 into the hands of the Chinese. During the last year or 

 two there has been a little falling off' in the cultivation, 

 but the class of cloves produced seems as good as ever. 



In Singapore the cultivation died out at the same 

 time as that of the nutmeg, about 1866, but I doubt 

 if it ever was as successful as in Penang. The parasite 

 Cephaleurus is too pertinacious, and a recent re-opening 



