The Hawaiian gazette., 1894-08-24
THE TT PLANT.
It's Many and Varied Uses to the
Natives.

mental perennials. 1t is found in
every garden, where it is cultivated
as much for use as ornament.
There are two varieties of it, red
and gray, the former evidently be-
ing an exotic, as it is not found
growing wild in the mountains,
whereas the green ii leaf is discern
able in every ravine on the Islands.
Its beautiful, long, lanceolate,
glossy, green leaves make it a
splendid foil for parture of bril-
liant colored flowers.
1t is much used for decorative
purposes, and forms a splendid
background for flowers in altar
decorations. The flower and
bruised leaf have a very delicate
fragrance, The natives frequently
use the leaf as a bandage about the
head to alleviate headache, proba-
bly, on account of its GOODNESS.
Some of the superstitious make
wreath from plated leaves and
wear it about the neck, thinking
thus to ward off evil influences.
The natives are very adept in ap-
plying the ii leaf to a thousand
uses, in fact it would seem almost
impossible for them to have lived
in the ante-foreigner time without
it. In some of the wet districts it
is used for house-thatching, and
although not very durable, it is
quickly applied and is a perfect
watershed. 1t is in cooking and
carrying food, however, where its
essentially to the welfare of race
without crockery or metal ware
presents itself.
The leaf imparts no taste or
smell to anything that is cooked
in it, and there is no kind of fish or
flesh which a native cannot cook
thoroughly in ii leaves. In their
style of cooking, where all kinds of
meats and fish are steam-cooked in |
one oven, it is indispensable. In
carrying their food from the val
leys where it grows best to the |
markets or dry sea coasts, they roll |
it in bundles of tt leaves, in which |
condition it keeps well for reason
able time. So essential was it con-
sidered for the welfare of man,
that the lands of the islands were
divided up with a view of each
owner obtaining belt or zone of ii
land.
The red variety is used for no
purpose other than as an orna-
mental plant, as it imparts a bit
terness to anything cooked in it.
In Samoa and Fiji, l am informed,
it is much used to ornament grave
yards. In volcanic parts of the
islands the goatherds make san
dals of the ii leaf, and when start
ing on a chase, will often have
dozen pairs slung about the neck.
1t enables them to run over the
brittle and sharp "a clinkers on
which goat soon falls.
Being perennial, the root grows
to an enormous size in some in
stances. From the grated strained
root starch is made which an
swers admirably for silk and fine
straw work. The natives cook the
root in ovens-a process which
takes from four to six days-and
eat it with avidity. 1t is sweeter
than honey and the honey comb,
and is delicious eating.
From this cooked ti-root is made
the liquor called "okolehao" or
" kulu," which is said to be one of
the best liquors made. After cook
ing, the root is cut up or crushed
and put into containers to ferment,
when it is distilled. As a rule,
their process is very crude, as they
are compelled to work in some
secret ravine or place in the woods,
and to use an old gun-barrel or gas
pipe iH lieu of a worm. By this
process the fusil oil comes over
with the liquor, but some of them
thoroughly understand the process
Of distillation, so that the head |
ache" is all extracted from it. 1t
is clear, like gin, and has some
what of smoky taste like Scotch
If making liquor was
not prohibited, great quantities
could be manufactured for export,
as the mountains are full of the
plant, which seems to grow best on
almost perpendicular sides of ra-
vines. l do not know whether any
attempt to extract syrup from the
cooked root has been made, but
feel certain it would succeed. The
root vii; be analysed to ascertain
what medical properties, If any, it