work of mice and insects it would not be advisable to treat cas- 

 sava commerciallv as other than an annual in Hawaii. 



MEANS OF REMOVING FROM THE GROUND. 



As the roots are of considerable size, often from 3 to 4 feet in 

 length by 2 or 3 inches in diameter, and as they grow in clusters 

 of from four to eight on each stalk, a single cluster often weigh- 

 ing from 20 to 30 pounds, the digging cannot be done with a 

 plow, as sweet potatoes are dug, but must be done by hand. The 

 original section of seed cane which was planted does not decay 

 when growth begins, but continues to live and grow through the 

 entire season, the new stalk usually growing from one end and 

 the cluster of roots from the other. The piece of seed cane 

 which was planted thus becomes what is called the "union" be- 

 tween the stalk and roots of the new plant. When the stalks are 

 cut, either for seed canes or to clear the land for diijging, a stub 

 5 or 6 inches high is left to show the position of the roots and 

 to furnish a hold for pulling them from the ground. 



IMPLExMENTS USED IN DIGGING. 



Various tools are used in digging, and sometimes, especially 

 when the soil is very light and the root growth is small, the work 

 is done by simply grasping the stub with the hands and pulling 

 the roots, without the use of any tools. This method answers 

 verv well on light soil and when only a few roots are gathered 

 daily, but where the soil is of fair quality, and where any great 

 amount is to be gathered, some simple tool is of great assist- 

 ance. Some growers use a grubbing hoe, pushing the blade into 

 the ground under the union and then alternately pulling and pry- 

 ing until the roots are so loosened that they can be lifted out. 

 Others use a cant hook, such as is used in handling logs, pushing 

 the hook under the union and then lifting the cluster of roots 

 from the soil. Still others use pinchers much like large black- 

 smith pinchers, but with the end of each handle turned into a ring 

 for a hand hold. Tlie user grasps the stub with the jaws of the 

 pinchers and then pulls and shakes the root cluster until it is loose 

 from the soil. 



Wliere considerable quantities of the root are to be dug, an 

 implement called a "lifter" is very commonly used. This lifter 

 is simply a straight piece of wood about 8 feet in length and 2 

 inches in diameter, with a V-shaped hook about 2 feet from one 

 end. The hook is of iron or steel, and can be made by any black- 

 smith from an old file or a piece of a wagon spring by bending 

 it edgewise, so as to make the opening from 5 to 6 inches in 

 length and about 2 inches in width at the open end. Two holes 

 are punched through one arm, so that it can be bolted to the 



