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SPICES OF THE TROPICS 



Clove; 4 'Karabu"S. (Eugenia caryophyllala. Myrtaceae). A 

 small conical tree, 30 to 40 feet high, native of the Moluccas,, 

 introduced and established in Ceylon before the arrival of the 

 British. The cloves are the dried unexpanded flower-buds. 

 These are picked green, usually during January and February in 

 Ceylon, and being spread in the sun for a few days to dry they 

 become dark brown. The tree likes a rich sandy soil on sloping 

 land, and thrives up to 1,500 feet. It is propagated by seed, 

 which takes five or six weeks to germinate. The seedlings, which 



MADAGASCAR CLOVE. Ravciisara aromatica. 



are of very slow growth, may be planted out when 12 or 15 inches- 

 high, at distances of about 15 or 20 feet apart. The first crop' 

 may be obtained when the trees are 7 to 8 years old,, the yield 

 increasing until they are about fifteen or twenty years old,, when 

 an average yield of 8 to 10 Ib. of dried cloves per tree may be 

 procured. Zanzibar and Pemba furnish at present by far the 

 greater part of the world's supply of cloves, Penang and Amboyna 

 coming next in importance as sources of supply. The present 

 price of cloves in London varies from 8d. to Is. 2d. per Lb M according; 



