48 



spcct to the same thing in wet-land kalo. A native from Molokai 

 calls the juice from the kalo stem, zvalc. The same man calls the 

 offspring of the second generation of the wet-land kalo, iva'c. 

 These huli pii'ii are very satisfactory for propagation, for although 

 they grow at first more slowly than the huli makiia, they ulti- 

 mately grow more rapidly. This is due to the fact that in the 

 huli makua only a small slice of the corm is left attached to the 

 huli; while the huli pu'u possess entire corms. The pu'u are 

 therefore the quickest of all. giving a crop, in many instances, 

 within six months from planting. 



TIME OF PLANTING. 



There is considerable divergence of opinion among the present- 

 day Hawaiians as to the best time for planting the huli. Ac- 

 cording to some, there are two periods in the course of the Ha- 

 waiian lunar month that are considered especially propitious for 

 the planting of kalo — the nights of these two seasons are hoku 

 and malie-alani. These are during the first quarter, when the 

 moon is waxing. Others designate three suitable occasions — the 

 two above mentioned, and also a third period, akua. According 

 to other reliable authorities, the huli may be planted at any sea- 

 son, irrespective of the condition of the moon. In this case, how- 

 ever, when the moon is full, the planter must go into the field or 

 lo'i, and press the mud firmly around each huli, so that they arc 

 firm in the mud. This causes the corms to attain large size ; if 

 omitted, they will be small and stunted. These ideas are, of 

 course, wholly superstitious. 



METHOD OF PL.\NTING. 



The huli are planted either in rows or in hills. The planting 

 or thrusting of the huli into the mud is called kauu huli. Kauu 

 is a general word, meaning to bury in the earth. Kalo growing 

 in hills is called by various names, as opu kalo, pu'c, or pucpu'e. 

 V'wQ or more huli are planted in a single hill. When huli arc 

 scarce, economy may compel the reduction of the huli in a hill to 

 four. Ordinarily five or more, and sometimes, in an extra large 

 hill, as many as ten or a dozen, or even twenty, may be planted. 



Planting in hills was customary among the Hawaiians ; planting 

 in rows, because of the larger returns per acre, finds favor among 

 the Chinese planters. Kalo planted too closely in hills or rows 

 was called pipipi or ku-piiui'i. Kalo recently ])lanted is called opc'- 

 ape'a. The evolving or unfurling of the leaf is called mohala or 

 mohola; the first leaf to ai)i)ear after the /;;/// is i)lanted is lau 

 awa, and the first two leaves arc lau pa'i. When huli are planted 

 in rows, the rows arc one to three feet ai)art, according to variety. 

 Small temporary ditches containing water are commonly left be- 

 tween cvcrv five or si.x rows. 



