Where labour is available |i.e. where there are enough
slaves), the shamba should be weededevery month, but the
average interval, I was told, is three months, and on the
Sultan’s plantation at Chueni, judging from the weeds and
grasses upon it, it must have been even longer. These
irregular and heavy weedings are very harmful to the clove.
The clove tree suffers from attacks of two enemies— one, a
caterpillar, which attacks the foliage in the dry weather and
often denudes the tree of its leaves (the tree recovers as soon
as the rains set in ); the other is the white ant, which
occasionally attacks the roots. No remedial measures appear
to be taken.
Time o f bearing.— Clove trees begin to yield—
In good situations, five years from planting.
In inferior soil, six years to six and a half years from
planting.
Yield o f trees.— The Sultan’s head-overseer told me that
the general yield is 2 frasilas to three trees, and the average
yield may be stated at 500 frasilas to 400 trees, or 4
lbs. 6 oz. per tree. The usual estimate is 5 lbs. per tree,
but the clove tree is a most uncertain yielder, one year
giving an enormous crop and the next year nothing; and
again, individual trees in favourable situations | yield very
much above the average. The low average yielded by
Zanzibar estates is probably due to want of proper cultivation.
Colour o f the buds.— The unexpanded buds on the trees
are at first a pinkish-yellow, becoming a deeper red as they
mature. Red is the colour desired in the dried clove, and
buds of this colour are more valued than those which are black.
Gathering.— The picking of the buds commences in August
and lasts for four months ; on an average each tree is picked
three times in a season, for the buds ripen unequally, on which
account it is necessary to go over the trees several times.
The stalks and buds are gathered at the same time, and
thrown on to grass mats spread on ■ the ground ; the picking
of the higher branches is done by means of triangular bamboo
ladders. Whilst some of the slaves are thus occupied, others
pick the buds from the stalks, and they are then "spread out
to dry in the sun, being taken in every night,
Curing.— The cloves are dried on mats in the sun (contrary
to the practice in Penang and the Moluccas), and the drying
is continued for six or seven days.
Green cloves dry down to about half their weight; thus
1 frasila green is equal to \ frasila dry.
Hired labour.— On plantations where slaves are not sufficient,
hired labourers (called “ kibarua” from the ticket they
receive daily) are employed. Each gatherer keeps a separate
basket, and in the evening, each man measures out the clove-
buds which he has picked during the day, and from which he
has to remove the stalks.
At the commencement of the season pice are given; later
on, the pickers are paid in kind.
Five pice are paid for each “ pishi ” (about 6 lbs.) of green
cloves.
In favourable seasons the picker receives half of what he
gathers ; in short seasons only a quarter.
Clove stems.^-Ths. measurements and payments are for the
buds only, nothing being given for the stalks, which are the
property of the owner.1
Disposal o f the crop: Government duty.— Cloves are despatched
to Zanzibar in gunny bags. There is a duty, levied
by Government, of 25 per cent.; this is paid in kind, and the
cloves heaped in bulk in the Government godowns.
Public auctions are now held by Government every fortnight,
to allow open competition, and especially to admit
European merchants.
Comparison between Zanzibar and Pemba ¿/«we.?.— Zanzibar
cloves are very dry, differing much in this respect from those
produced in Pemba. Zanzibar cloves can be stored for some
time, but “ Pembas” are disposed of as early as possible, as
otherwise the loss is very great, as they generally arrive damp,
and there is much “ shortage ” when dried. In good dry
samples, the Pemba clove is smaller and blacker than others—-
blacker from having contained much moisture. Zanzibar
1 At the time I was in Zanzibar, the value of a frasila of buds was 6
rupees. It will be seen therefore that the produce was worth to the
owner 11 pice per lb., plus the stalks, or 10 pice after paying the wages of
picking (5 pice per 6 lbs.),