184 
SPICES 
CHAP. 
Our heaviest day was November 24, when we picked 874 pishi 
with 135 men, an average of 6'4 pishi per head. At Dunga 
our average was much less, by reason of there being fewer cloves ; 
besides, having to visit more trees the people never became so 
expert. Our best picker brought 6 and 7 pishi, while our average 
was between 3 and 4 pishi per diem. 
Ajp'proximate Yield jper Tree . — The number of clove trees at 
Marseilles was stated to be 5,000, but on recounting we found 
there were 7,500 bearing trees at Marseilles and 1,000 at 
Kitumba — together 8,500. On December 31 we had gathered, 
approximately, 1,300 fraslas, and might, I think, safely count 
upon another 300, making a total of 1,600 fraslas. This gives 
an average yield of over lbs. per tree. A good proportion, 
about was left upon the trees ungathered through lack of 
labour. With sufficient labour we should, I think, easily have 
reached 2,000 fraslas ; the approximate yield per tree is, there- 
fore, brought up to over 8 lbs. The trees at Dunga were just as 
heavily laden with buds, but they never ripened properly ; at 
least half the crop failed. We reached about 350 fraslas, which 
from 3,000 trees gives an average of 4 lbs. per tree. 
Returns . — Our actual sales at the end of December amounted 
to 873 fraslas, which realised 5,535 rupees, while we had on 
hand at the custom-house unsold and in the plantation godown 
an estimated quantity of 424 fraslas which, valued at the 
current rate at 5^ rupees a frasla, was worth 2,332 rupees. 
Our gross returns up to December 31 may therefore be taken 
as E. 7,8 6 7. Our expenditure to that date was 1,725 rupees, or 
about 22 per cent of the gross returns, and our net profit is 
shown as E.6,142. 
Account Statement to December 31 
873 fraslas sold ...... E.5,535 
424 „ (approx.) on hand . . . 2,332 
1,297 fraslas Total . . E.7,867 
Expenditure to December 31 . . . 1,725 
Net Keturns . . . . . .6,142 
Total . . E.7,867 
Net returns . . E.6,142 
This is equal to a net profit of 4 rupees 11 annas per frasla. 
The amount, 1,725 rupees, as the actual cost of gathering 
1,297 fraslas, works out to 1 rupee 22 pice per frasla, and differs 
slightly from my first estimate of 1 rupee 13 pice. This dis- 
