gin to yield in about five years after 
planting. The picking of the imma- 
ture flowers with the red calyx is be- 
gun in August and lasts for about four 
months. From two to four crops are 
harvested each year. Each bud may 
be picked singly by hand, but those 
of the higher branches are more 
generally knocked off by means of 
bamboo sticks. After picking the 
flowers are placed upon grass mats and 
dried in the sun, this requiring from six 
to seven days. In the night and dur- 
ing rains they are placed under cover. 
Drying changes the red color of the 
calyx to a dark brown. The dried 
cloves are packed in gunny bags and 
carried to Zanzibar where an internal 
revenue of 25 per cent, is paid in 
cloves. From Zanzibar the cloves are 
exported in mat bags. 
We know that cloves were used by 
the ancient Egyptians, for a mummy 
has been found with a necklace of 
them. The Chinese used them exten- 
sively, 226 B.C. Plinius briefly de- 
scribed "Caryophyllon," which, accord- 
ing to some commentators, referred to 
cloves and according to others to cu- 
bebs. Cloves appeared in Europe 
about 314-335 A. D., evidently intro- 
duced by way of Arabia. Emperor 
Constantine, who ruled about that time 
made Pope Sylvester of Rome, among 
other things, a present of 150 pounds 
of cloves. In Grecian literature cloves 
are first mentioned about the Sixth 
century. Trallianus recommended 
them in stomach troubles and in gout. 
The Germans designate cloves as 
Gewurzndgelein, which means spice 
nails, because of their resemblance to 
a nail, the corolla forming the head 
and the calyx tube the nail. The aro- 
matic odor and pungent aromatic taste 
is due to an etherial oil present in large 
quantities (18 per cent.) in the calyx 
tube. This oil is used for various pur- 
poses; as a clearing reagent in micro- 
technique, for toothache, as an antisep- 
tic, stomachic, irritant. It destroys in- 
sects and keeps them away. When 
freshly extracted its color is pale am- 
ber but it gradually assumes a reddish 
brown coloration. It is one of the least 
volatile of ethereal or essential oils. It is 
also used by soapmakers and perfumers. 
Cloves are variously used as a spice. 
They are often stuck into pickled fruits, 
as peaches, apples, apricots. The 
opening quotation from Shakespeare 
suggests such a use with lemons. 
Some persons acquire an inelegant 
and undesirable habit of chewing 
cloves. The pungent oil deadens or 
benumbs the nerves of taste and touch 
and the persistent mastication of 
cloves, is said to produce an excessive 
development of fibrous tissue of the 
liver, a condition akin to "nutmeg 
liver" which shall be referred to in our 
next paper. 
Other parts of the clove tree are also 
used occasionally, as for instance the 
flower stalks known as clove stalks. 
They possess the odor and taste of 
cloves but in a lesser degree. Formerly 
the leaves were also used but it is said 
that they do not now appear in com- 
merce. The dried fruit known as 
mother of cloves is used more or less. 
They contain far less oil than cloves 
and are comparatively less valuable. 
Even the wood of the tree has been 
used as a spice. The dried and ground 
flower stalk, the fruits and the wood 
are often used to adulterate ground 
cloves. We would therefore advise 
housewives to purchase the cloves and 
grind them at home. It is reported 
that cloves have been adulterated with 
false cloves made from starch pressed 
into the form of cloves and roasted. 
It is, however, not at all likely that such 
a practice is carried on to any great 
extent. Sometimes cloves are placed 
on the market from which the oil has 
been extracted. 
The cultivated cloves are richer in 
essential oil than the native cloves. 
The Zanzibar cloves are quite large. 
The principal market varieties are 
English cloves, Amboine cloves, Bour- 
bon cloves, Cayenne cloves, Zanzibar 
cloves, and others. 
EXPLANATION OF PLATE. 
A, flowering branch, nearly natural 
size; 1, floral bud; 2, floral bud in 
longitudinal section; 3, stamens; 4, 
pollen grains; 5, ovary in transverse 
section; 6, fruit, about natural size; 7, 
fruit in transverse section; 8, embryo; 
9, part of embryo. 
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