Denise Connors, age il, of Keen, N.H., for her question:

WHERE DO CLOVES COME FROM?

"Cloves," used a spices, are the dried flower buds of a tropical tree. The clove tree, which can grow to be 15 to 30 feet tall, is found in the wilds of Indonesia and the West Indies. The trees are also grown as a crop in Indonesia, the Malagasy Republic and Tanzania.

The trees purplish flowers grow on jointed stalks. The bulbs of these flowers, called cloves, are picked before they open. They are reddish when picked, but turn dark brown when they are dried.

Cloves are very fragrant and have a warm, sharp taste. They are used chiefly in cooking.

An oil taken from the buds and stems of the clove tree is used to flavor desserts and candies and also to scent soaps.