FLORA OV THE (IROUP. 217 



the moist valleys of the lower zone. The plants were ciiirrully I'ared for and the 

 roots when gathered were used either fresh or dried. 'I'd iiinke the drinif the 

 I'oot, which is astriiit;:int to the tasti'. was lii'st chcwrd and t hordu'/hly mixed 

 with saliva. It was then pnl in((i a Wdodcn Imwi and a i|nantity nl' wijlcr added. 

 After it had stood a shoi-t linn' the iKinid was strained dlT; it was then ready 

 for drinicinp;. The efl'eel was tlial of a nan-dtic- and invariahis' prddnced stupi- 

 fiealidii if taken in any (pianlity. 



.Xa'i'uio h'n'.Ki! I'i,A.\'i's. 



The nativ(N formeri.N' enlti\'a1ed several ullier plants in the lower I'drest zone. 

 Olona -- was one of the most important of these. The plant f^rows best in re<,noiis 

 of great rainfall, usually in the wet forests on the windward side. 



The olona plant is a low woody perennial, with a viscid juice, seldom 

 growing more than a (Jozen feet in height. It has large ovate leaves, often a foot 

 in length and proportionately broad. The genus is a Hawaiian one with but a 

 single species, but botanists tell us that it belongs to the same order as the 

 ramie,"-* which is grown in many i)laces as a fiber plant. The fiber', "dlona," is 

 contained in the bast of tlu; stem and is remarkably fine and strajeht and is en- 

 tii'ely free I'rdni uiun. 



In former times ever)- chief had an olona plantation somewher-e in the moun- 

 tains, as the fiber from the wild plants was not used to any extent. In raising 

 the crop the ferns were carefully cleared away from about the i)ateh to give the 

 plant all the strength of the soil. The old plants were brokcMi or rolled down 

 to allow the young shoots to grow straiii:ht and rapidly. When dp sufficient 

 size the crop was eut, strip|)<'d and liaekled by the use dl' ei'ude implements 

 and allowed to dry and bleach luilil such time as the lib(a- was whit(! and ready 

 I'di' use. Being resistant to the act inn df salt water it made fine rope, seines and 

 fish lines. Certain of th(> imtives formei'ly paid their taxes in dldu;i, and it was 

 always regarded as a valuable possession. 



The paper mulberry or wauke -* of the natives lias a milk>- sap and is a 

 small tree with ovate leaves. The leaves are either entire or three-lobed and 

 usually from five to seven inches long, dentate along the edges and roughened 

 on the ujjper surface. The use and culture of the plant ha.s been explained 

 elsewhere. It is now to be met with urowing in clumps here and there through 

 the lower open portions of the forests. Wauk<i is to be distinguished from the 

 mamake,"'' which is a low shrub seldom over ten feet high, with fiowers in axillary 

 clusters, that was also used in the maiuifaeture of tapa. Mamake has the ovate 

 leaves tliree to four inches long, and the sap always watery and the flowers uni- 

 sexual. The leaves vary greatly in several respei'ts. but generally are whitish 

 lienealli. The species seems to be unklidwn diitside nl' this e|-diip. 



SANI).\LW<)OI). 



Thai portidu df Hawaiian history which tells of the discdvei-y ol' sandal- 



'^ Touchardia latifolia. 



15 



