CHAP. 
182 SPICES 
otherwise the tree in time will grow to wood, and only bear on 
the sides and the top. 
My own shamba I cleaned once before last clove season. 
Leaves and grass were dug in for manure, and the rain was 
able to soak into the ground, instead of running off the top. 
^^'othing flourishes under cloves, as the small roots spread out 
like a net on the top of the soil ; the trees would probably be 
the better for their being cut. The shamba next to mine I 
foolishly offered to pick ; but the cloves were small, and many 
dropped off before becoming mature, which made difficult work 
for the pickers. We made E.lOO, but lost more by being com- 
pelled to neglect our own shamba. Clove trees seem to die in 
some parts of the shamba, from some cause I do not know. I 
have noticed that trees on the outside of a plantation suffer 
most. [May not this be due to the outside trees receiving the 
brunt of the sun’s rays, while the inside trees shade one another ? 
Ed., Tropical Agriculturist.'] Many, too, have died in the valley 
from want of drainage. But most trees have recovered in a 
wonderful way. Arabs talk of the crop this year as half of 
that of last, but I hope to make two-thirds, as our shamba is 
doing well (“ Shamba,” Tropical Agriculturist, January 1, 1900, 
p. 450). 
EEPORT OF THE AGEICULTUEAL DEPAETMENT, ZANZIBAE 
Marseilles Shamba. — In addition to the Dunga plantation, 
which this year came under our management, we have had 
charge of two of H.H. the Sultan’s shambas at Machui — 
Marseilles and Kitumba. The former is situated on the second 
range of hills which runs longitudinally through the island. 
The soil is a brick-red mixture of sand and clay, which gets 
very hard in dry weather. It is, however, superior in quality 
to the corresponding outcrop on the Masingini range of hills to 
the westward. Kitumba is in the low alluvial district of that 
name, which spreads out to the eastward of the Machui range. 
The soil is generally a red loam, overlying clay. As these two 
shambas adjoin and were as far as possible worked together, 
they may be counted as one. 
Cost of Clove Picking. — Clove picking began in Zanzibar in 
the latter end of October. At Machui we departed from the 
usual method of picking, and instituted a system of payment 
whereby we could ascertain the total cost of clove-gathering. 
The shamba people who, according to the new sheria, should 
have given their labour four days in the week, were paid for 
each operation. Under these circumstances picking proceeded 
from the first more briskly with us than with our neighbours. 
