50 



lowing" and curling--up of tlie leaves {poiialo). The time required 

 from planting to harvesting is from six to fifteen months, vary- 

 ing with the variety and the environment. 



The harvesters go bare-footed in the patch, trample around the 

 corms to loosen them from the mud, pull them by hand and toss 

 them into piles along the embankments. The small refuse taro 

 (f^alili) is thrown upon the si^'e of the patch ( hoonwhahd ) . The 

 general litter about the harvested field is called la-clc, and the 

 empty field itself, with the young shoots remaining, is aae or 

 i:aiiai. On the embankments they cut ofif the leaves, and may 

 tlirow them into the ])atch for fertilizer or carry them away 

 for swine food. The hitli are then sliced off, and piled nearby. 

 These kalo tops are called anihiniJu or ouihiiiihi. When they are 

 dry they are la-ch\ The corms are carried away to be made into 

 poi, or to be sold as vegetables. If the kalo is to be marketed 

 as a vegetable, the huH are not cut ofif. Several corms are tied 

 together, forming a bunch. A bunch of kalo corms is called Iiiti- 

 hui-kalo. 



Mr. Clowes finds that for the best results not more than two 

 crops of kalo should be taken from the land without planting to 

 some other crop, such as bananas or a forage crop. A very sat- 

 isfactory rotation scheme, practiced on the farm" of the Hilo 

 Boarding School, is as follows : First year, kalo ; second year, 

 .sorghum, cow peas, pigeon peas, vegetables, etc. : third year, cow 

 pasture ; fourth year, kalo again. This system completely rids 

 the fields of kalo rot. 



DRV-LAXD CULTIVATION. 



The following explicit directions for the raising of dry-land, 

 upland or unirrigated kalo have been condensed from a state- 

 ment by Mr. Clowes, who has charge of the agricultural work at 

 the Hilo ])Oarding School: 



The land is plowed, covering any weeds, grass or crop-refuse 

 that is on the land, "llilo-grass" sod is excellent ground on 

 which to plant taro, although it may follow any crop which has 

 not depleted the humus content of the soil. 



Plowing is followed by thorough harvesting. The disc and the 

 drag-harrow are used by Mr. Clowes. .\t this stage lime is ap- 

 ]jlied, in the form of either coral sand, slaked or quick lime. A 

 month after plowing the sod shoidd have become sufficiently do- 

 composed to permit planting. A light ai)])lication of stable ma- 

 nure and commercial fertilizer is made al this period. 



The strip to 1)e planted is again harrowed to mix the mamn"c 

 evenly thnnigh the soil. The furrows (from 40 to 48 inches 

 apart, such as arc made to plant sugar cane) are opened. W'lun- 

 cvcr possible, the rows arc run the longest way of the field. riie 

 bottoms of these furrows are widened, with a hoc, to iirevent the 



