VIII THE CLOVE 185 



who were interested in the trade of the East. Although a The reason 

 hundred years have elapsed since the unfortunate M. Buee spices were 

 introduced the spices into Dominica, one of the clove trees "ate^d inthe 

 planted by him is still alive and flourishing, and the cinna- ^Vest Indies. 

 mon bushes have become almost wild, as the seeds are 

 disseminated by birds. From Dominica, the clove tree 

 was carried to Martinique, and to other islands of the 

 West Indies. 



Cloves are the dried unexpanded flowers of the tree. The Description 

 corolla forms a ball on the top of the bud between the four 

 teeth of the calyx — from which the ovary tapers downwards. 

 Thus the spice has somewhat the appearance of a nail, and, 

 indeed, the name clove is derived from the French word clou, 

 which means a nail. From nine to fifteen flower-buds come 

 out at the end of ^ a branch to which they are jointed, and 

 thus they are easily detached when the trees are beaten 

 lightly with reeds or sticks. The buds are at first green, When cloves 



, , 1 1 , ,1 f , should be 



and, as they mature, they become pale yellow and then gathered. 

 bright red — at which stage they are ready to gather. If the 

 buds be left on the tree, a certain number of flowers will 

 become fertilised, the ovaries covered with the lower part of 

 the calyx then swell and form the fruit, which is a large ovoid 

 purple berry, containing one or two seeds, and known as the 

 "mother clove." 



Soil. — A clayey loam is the best soil for the cultivation of The best 

 the clove, provided the land be well drained. The trees grow ^°' ' 

 well on sloping land, as in such situations stagnant moisture 

 cannot exist. The plant does not thrive in clays or sands, 

 and a marshy soil is fatal to it. 



Climate. — Although the clove is a native of the small A marine 

 islands of the Moluccas it will not grow quite close to be avofded 

 the sea, or in places where the atmosphere is laden with 

 saline particles carried inland by strong sea breezes. Nor 

 will the tree thrive in the mountains, although it will do well 

 on the slopes below 1,000 feet elevation. The tree must 



