THE AMERICAN BOTANIST 125 



under pressure, and peeled by hand. The peeling is done by 

 women, under sanitary conditions. The peeled corms are 

 passed through a massive machine that resembles a huge meat- 

 chopper set vertically. Water is added as needed, and the 

 pa'i-ai, of uniform texture, comes out of the bottom of the 

 grinder and is put into small barrels, ready for sale. 



Experiments conducted at the College of Hawai'i during 

 the past year afford instructive corroboration of the well- 

 known high food value of taro. Chemical analyses of the raw 

 corms, conducted according to standard technique, gave the 

 following results : 



Taro has a much lower moisture content than either Irish or 

 sweet potatoes. Its fat content is higher and its protein con- 

 tent is lower. As to starch, taro has more than double the 

 amount possessed by Irish potatoes, and nearly 50% more 

 than sweet potatoes. 



The starch-grains of taro are exceedingly minute (1/25,000 

 to 3/25,000 in diameter), very much smaller than those of the 

 common cereals, for example. For this reason taro and poi 

 are easily digested, and are commonly recommended for 

 invalids, infants, and aged persons. Taro flour or "taroena," 

 manufactured from the dried, ground conn, has been in local 

 markets for a number of years. 



With the many and profound economic changes that have 

 taken place in the Hawai'ian Islands during the past century, 

 the taro has become of rapidly decreasing importance as a food 

 plant. The natives have diminished until there is today but 



