An Account of Cultivation, 



FR( )}^I Hawaii In Niihau tlie soil and its diaractcr are not the same; they differ in 

 fine i)lace from that of another. The nature of llie lands is of two kinds, dry and 

 wet; of soil and of rock; good and bad; and mountainous, abounding in streams, 

 vallevs, hills and ridges. Rain, streams, fog, a cloud-burst, a squall, spring water and 

 the dews [constitute the water supply]. 



OF DRY I'LANTING. 



In Kohala, Idawaii, the grass was burned until the ground was cleared, then the 

 ground was broken uj) with an iron spade and when the soil became softened it was 

 thrown up, leaving a hole about one foot deep. The dirt was then broken fine and the 

 taro tops planted. Thus ])lanting continued until a field was completed. 



When the taro tops take root, then the dirt is cleared away, and again thrown u]), 

 ;in(l the old leaves of the ])lant, two or three perhajjs, are taken ofif, so that the taro i)lant 

 might flourish. This work was called weeding.' When the plant has grown about one 

 and a half feet high, the dirt is thrown back around the plant and covered with grass. 

 This is the object: Cover the field thick with grass that the weeds may not thrive with 

 the rain. After a year has passed, the taro is pulled up together with some sprigs, 

 leaving some young taro shoots in the hills. At that time the taro tops are called by 

 several names; the oinuoinuo.' the />»».' the olia.' the aac.'' 



The omuomuo is the taro top which is cut from the taro i^roper; the pun is the 

 young seed taro which adheres to the taro proper; the oka are the small taros which grow 

 near the taro proper ; the aac are the results of picking here and there, the remnants of 

 the taro hills. 



The dry i^lanting of the taro. however, is not all of the same method. In regions 

 where timbers grow high, such as in Hooleipalaoa, in Kahua, and other places, the mode 

 of planting was called ohiki, the taro tops being closely planted together; the leaves 

 of the trees constitute the soil. In such places taro was called akaka. 



In places grown over by tree fern oJiiki'' was the method of planting; the taro 

 tops were planted in pairs and in triplets. The po'i, however, on being eaten smelled like 

 fern. In higher, grass v fields, as the uplands of Kahei, and Kaauhuhu, in Kohala, the 

 poi was a yellowish color like that of the breadfruit poi. and was good to the taste. In 

 places overgrown with rank grass ( kiikacpuaa ) J the poi was of a dark color, and bubbled, 

 and was not very good eating. 



In Hamakua, Hawaii, the field was called pakiikiii." the kiikiii was the soil, thus ; 



'O/ini/iiK w;is more 



thoroiiijh cnltivatinn than simply "Ohiki, plaiUinR between, or in place of viprooted 



wcediii" (pried over) tree ferns; lience the term. Siicli sections 



-,, ^ .111 ,,n. were termed />!; /'/(////'»/». 



-Omiioiiiuii, tlie l)ud stalk. ,, . 



, 'A.j(/>'i/(7'/(iii( 1 1 iiiiuitin t'lunciis ). 



Pun, seed taro. ■.„,,-,■ n , , ■ c i> i ; ; ■ 



, ., , ■ , Pakiikiii. literallv, ki(L-iii fence. Decomposed kulc\ii 



Olw, the sprigs or suckers. ^^.^^^^, ^^_. ,^..^^.^^ ^^.^.;.^. ^.,^,^^^j ^^^^ fertilizing the soil, not 



\-iac, the remaining shoots after the crop is pulled. ji,at taro planting was done in the decaying tree trunk. 

 (i6o) 



