IV 
CLOVES 
181 
and two years of extreme drought, what may not he expected 
from them if properly cared for ? 
An interesting comparison may be drawn from the results 
at Kizimbani, and those at Machui, as published by the Report 
of the Agricultural Department for last year : — 
Kizimbani. Machui. 
1. Yield per tree lb. . . . . 1925 6^ 
2. Cost of picking and delivering per R.1-4, 3-10 R.1-5J 
frasla 
3. Return per frasla net . . . R.2-7 R.3-4 
4. Return per tree net . . . . R.1-5, 3-5 R.0-9J 
5. Approximate price obtained per frasla R.4-15, 1-5 R.6-3, 9-10 
(less duty and disregarding stems). 
The comparison is, on the whole, distinctly in favour of 
Kizimbani, even when allowance is made for the fact that at 
Machui a quarter of the crop was abandoned for want of labour. 
The large quantity of cloves to handle at Machui made it 
necessary to employ a staff of spreaders, while at Kizimbani 
this work was done by the pickers at no extra cost. In 
calculating the yield and return per tree the good and bad 
trees are all counted together at Machui, but at Kizimbani the 
unproductive trees have been neglected. 
Still, when all these deductions have been allowed for, the 
superiority of the Pemba trees remains very evident. They 
date from prehurricane days, and are therefore older and larger, 
and the soil at Weti is stronger than at Machui. 
Canon Key concludes his Report by some very interesting 
remarks, which we append : — 
Clove Culture . — The Arabs plant 6 or 7 trees together; 
these often unite in a wonderful way, and form one tree, but 
knowing that several trees were planted together, you can see 
how and where they join, and the numerous branches, each 
“ tree ” having the same number as a single tree would have. 
In a shamba of young cloves that I bought I rooted out all 
except one, with the result that the young trees have gained 
strength. 
Pruning . — I have found that many trees have overgrown 
their strength, hence reducing their branches has added to the 
strength of the rest of the tree. We made a mistake in the 
first instance in cutting away the middle branches, which, of 
course, cannot bear many cloves, but this divided the tree, 
making it difficult to climb. Lateral branches are wanted in 
clove trees ; the upward-growing branches should be cut off. 
