WEST INDIES. 
147 
CHAP. IV.] 
then branches out on all sides, richly clothed with 
leaves of a deep green, somewhat like those of 
the bay tree; and these, in the months of July 
and August, are beautifully contrasted and relieved 
by an exuberance of white flowers. It is remark¬ 
able, that the leaves are equally fragrant with 
the fruit, and I am told, yield in distillation a deli¬ 
cate odoriferous oil, which is very commonly used 
in the medicinal dispensaries of Europe, for oil of 
cloves. 
Soon after the trees are in blossom the berries 
become fit for gathering; the fruit not being suf¬ 
fered to ripen on the tree, as the pulp in that 
state, being moist and glutinous, is difficult to cure, 
and, when dry, becomes black and tasteless. It is 
impossible however to prevent some of the ripe 
berries from mixing with the rest; but if the pro¬ 
portion of them be great, the price of the commo¬ 
dity is considerably injured. 
It is gathered by the hand;—one labourer on 
the tree, employed in gathering the small branch¬ 
es, will give employment to three below, (who are 
generally women and children), in picking the ber¬ 
ries; and an industrious picker will fill a bag of 
70 lbs. in the day. It is then spread on a terrace, 
and exposed to the sun for about seven days, in 
the course of which it loses its green colour, and 
becomes of a reddish brown, and when perfectly 
dry it is fit for market. 
