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for a month or two before planting. The seedlings 
are usually kept from 9 to 12 months in the nursery 
beds ; they should be planted in the field at distances 
of 25 to 30 feet apart. The tap-root should be kept 
straight when the young seedling is transplanted. 
If dry weather is experienced after planting, the 
young plant must be watered until it begins to 
throw out fresh leaves. It is sometimes considered 
advisable to grow the cloves at first under light 
shade trees, which are removed when the plants 
become slightly larger. Pruning is very seldom 
practised, but it is often advisable to cut out some 
of the inner branches, if these are too crowded. 
Apart from keeping the ground clean-weeded and 
clearing the trees of parasites and epiphytes, to the 
attacks of which they are liable, no other treatment 
is required until the flower-buds begin to appear. 
Manuring with cow-dung, or mulching with cut 
grass or lalang, is however very beneficial to the 
trees in the early stages of growth. 
In Penang, the clove tree commences to produce 
flower-buds in the fourth or fifth year after planting, 
but it may be considerably later if the soil is inferior. 
The buds are ready for gathering from November 
to January. They are at first green, then become 
yellowish with a pink tint, and finally dull blood-red, 
when they are fit to gather. When seed is required, 
the buds are allowed to remain on the trees until 
fully ripe, which takes a further three months. 
The buds are usually gathered by hand, a hooked 
stick being used to pull down the higher branches. 
Cloves should be picked in the best condition, neither 
too young nor too old. After collecting, they should 
be separated from the stalks and leaves, then spread 
on dry mats in direct sunlight, placing them under 
