The Pacific commercial advertiser., 1893-04-25

'ShtV> VI tue tuleIS, ITOia winch, III the
manufacture OF their poi, the centre
portions only of each taro was used. -
BESIDES the kalo proper, the natives
during times of scarcity were wont
formerly TO eat the stem of the ape
aIocaSia maerorrhiza). The ape be-
longs TO the same order as the kaio,
viz, the araceal, and is often met with
IN gardens, where its large, handsome
glossy green leaves help to make a
striking addition TO the landscape.
NODE OF CULTIVATION.
kalo is chiefly cultivated on the
hats near the sea shore, and more es-
pecially at the mouths OF valleys,
where water is available for irriga-
tion. Certain varieties are also grown
In the uplands, and in the woods kalo
may be found wild, having evidently
escaped from old CIVILIZATIONS. In
| olden times the naakaainelno, or COM
mon people, together with the koMWa,
or slaves taken in battle, We're the
principal tillers of the soil. The chiefs
IN most instances were content to
claim their share just about the time
when the crop was getting ripe, and
various authorities estimate that the
TO secure one third Of the kalo crop
for his own use, the remainder going
70 the chiefs great and small, who
preyed upon him rs his feudal superb
| ors. kamehameha l., however, was
not above showing his people good
example, for Archibald Campbell, the
Scottish sailor, writes in 1910: Il have
often seen the king working hard in
taro patch. l know not whether this
was done with view of setting an
example of industry 10 his subjects.
Such exertion could scarcely be
thought necessary among these ISL
anders, who are certainly the most in
duStriouS people l ever saw"
The crop is generally raised in small
patches. situated on the kuleun0 or
moo of the cultivator, and may mea-
sure in extent from say 80 feet square
TO one or two acres. In the ease of the
lowlaud taro, the land requires TO be
irrigated, and for this purpose the
soil or green sward is dug over (atad).
An embankment of about two TO three
feet high and a foot or two in width
IS then made, so SIS 70 enclose the
patch on all sides. Should the soil be
of a very porous nature, the ground is
then beaten, particularly along the
sides Of the patch, with Cocoanut
stems or branches, in order TO
make the ground hold water.
Previous to and for some years
after the arrival of white men on
these shores, the cultivation of the
soil was done entirely by the aid of
the 90. The 90 was simply 8 short
pointed stick made out of hard wood
and sharpened TO point or fashioned
into a kind of spads or paddle. The
native way of handling this agricul-
tural implement was for the workman
to squat on his hams and heels (Scot-
tice ''hunkers''l and grasp it by the
handle (kaR0 or kudu) with both
hands. The 0os were usually made
out of the following kinds of hard
wood. viz: Uulei, or ulei (osteOmeLes
0RtbyElidifolial; kauila (aLphitoRid
poEderosG); puhala (pdHdanus od0r-
atissiRsusl; uhiuhi (mamanil, sop
hora chrysopbyItGl; walahee (pGec-
tro7gid odorat0). A kind of "spud'
or weeder, having wooden handle
and an iron socket chisel head is now
sold in Honolulu under the name of
90. Professor Alexander in his Brief
History, mentions that ''it was the
custom in making the oOs to address
prayers to Ku-pulupulu, or ku-moku-
halii in order TO insure good luck.
They were also careful to plant only
on certain days of the MOON" (The
days of Ku, Hua, Akua, Kane and
I.ono have been stated to the compiler
of these notes as propitious days for
planting ''Then there were prayers to
be repeated when planting and at differ
ent stages of the growth of the crop,
- Il -
agriculture or mahiai) and prayers for
rain addressed to Lono or Ku.n
The ground being prepared, it is
flooded with water let in from another
kalO patch situated on a higher level
or from an aqueduct, the water in
many cases being brought from con-
siderable distance away and at great
outlay of labor. The celebrated water
course at Iole in North Kohala, Ha-
waii, is a good example Of what the
ancient Hawaiians could do in this
line aided only by wooden COS and
stone Eois or adZes. The unwritten
laws regarding irrigation and the use
of water from the aqueducts are be-
lieved to have been the only regula-
tiOns observed in common by the an
eient Hawaiians and hence the word
"Ka-na-wain or 'water rights" has
come to be used in the Hawaiian Ian
guage for anything in the way of
law or legislative enactment.
The plants are propagated by plant
ing, cuttings from the top of the tuber
with the stems of the leaves adhering
thereto. This part used in planting
is called the "huli.u The hulis are
usually planted in rows in groups or
"blocks of five' one hull being plant
ed at each corner of the hill or group
and the fifth one in the centre. Each
of these groups is called puepue.
The number of plants in a puepue is
not restricted to five hulis, greater
or less number may be planted to-
gether and sometimes the field is
planted in rows after the fashion en-
ployed by the Chinese in their rice
fields.
The crop requires to be weeded
about three times, and in the opera
ton of wedding which is termed oJdo
or oL0oI0o, the soil is gradually
collected round each puepue Or group
of young taro so as to form small
hiliocks. The first leaf to make it's
appearance On the young plant is
called L0UdUn, the second leaf Lou-
pal, the centre leaf in kalo plant
after the leaves are pretty well
developed being termed l0u Eo-
p0Latn, Should the kalo patch
have been neglectedJ and the crop
has poor stunted appearance,
then sueh stunted plants are styled by
| the name KokoLe or Pohu. From
the time the crop is half matured
until fully ripe it is essential to keep
the kalo-patch or Geld well covered
with water. The crop ripens in from
say seven to fifteen months, according