112 



of the plants are also used for plant ])roi)agation, antl the time 

 necessary to mature is six months. The tubers are eaten boiled, 

 the same as the sweet potato, and a kind of flour is also made from 

 them. The price is . . . less than seven cents a pound." 

 Mr. y. E. Conner, American Consul. Saigon. Cochin China. Mav, 

 1908! (U. S. D. A. r.ur. IMant Industry, lUd. 142, p. 3'?.) 



.SI•R^^•A^r. 



Air. I'. J. Cramer. Director of Agriculture. Paramaribo, Sium- 

 nam. describes as follows the growing of various aroids ( Colo- 

 casia. Xanthosoma, Alocasia), as follows: 



"The aroids grown here for table use are \yet-land crops insofar 

 as they need more moisture in the soil than sweet potatoes and 

 yams. They prefer a sandy loam with a thick layer of humus on 

 the top, while a light shade is beneficial to their growth. On 

 pure sand they do not thrive as well as the sweet potatoes and 

 }ams unless the grounrl is thickly mulched and lightly shaded. 



"The aroids are planted in Surinam the whole year through. 

 They are never flooded, for during the greater part of the year 

 sufficient moisture is kept in the soil by the rains, and in the three 

 very dry months (September, October and November) fresh 

 water for irrigation purposes generallv is not available in the cul- 

 tivated part (the coast lands) of Surinam." 



The Colocasia chiefly raised is a dasheen, known to the natives as 

 "Sinensie-taya." . The corms and tubers are non-acrid ; upon cook- 

 ing the flesh of the corms becomes very white, that of the tubers 

 slightlv violet colored. It is regarded as a rather poor table vege- 

 table, l)ecoming soft and slimv when cooked. (U. S. D. A. liur. 

 Plant Industry. ]5ul. 233, p. 29). 



Fl'Nni AND INSECTS. 



The disease known as "taro rot" or "root rot" becomes jireval- 

 ent when improper cultural methods are followed. The sj^ecilic 

 cause of the disease is not known. ////// cut fr(Mn immature 

 corms are cspeciall\- liable to l^ecome diseased. The disease at- 

 tacks the inner i)art of the corm, causing it to rot. Plants thus 

 affected mature in an abnormally short time. The leaves develop 

 vellow spots and arc wrinkled in a characteristic manner. Plant- 

 ing hiili from diseased ])lants; planting in fields where diseased 

 ])lants have been recently groun ; fertilizing with leaves from 

 affected plants, and flooding the newly ])lante(l //;/// too soon, — 

 these arc common sources of taro rot. 



The kalo ])lant is remarkably frre from insect i)ests. it is occa- 

 sionally attacked by plant lice, but \\\v damage done is so incon- 

 siderable as to be ])ractically negligible. 



