84 



a minute description would convey a very indifferent 

 idea. 



The sweet potato, kumara (ipoma?a batatas or 

 batatas edulis), is cultivated to a small extent by the 

 Fijians, and largely by the settlers, as food for their 

 labourers. There are two varieties, one of which has 

 tubers of a reddish colour, those of the other are 

 white. Both of these are excellent, and it is surprising 

 that they are not a favourite article of food with the 

 natives. These and yams were selling in Levuka last 

 year at from £4 to £6 per ton, according to quality, 

 and 5 or 6 tons can be produced from an acre of land. 



Besides the above-mentioned plants which are cul- 

 tivated for food, there are others of less importance, 

 either growing wild in the forests or found in a semi- 

 wild state in many places. One of these is the 

 via mila (alocasia indica). It is found growing by 

 the sides of streams, at the edges of dalo patches 

 and marshy places throughout Fiji. It attains a 

 height of about 10 feet when full grown, and has a 

 handsome, striking appearance. The stem, the part 

 eaten, is frequently about 4 to 6 inches in diameter. 

 It is, if anything, more acrid than the dalo, and is 

 only eaten in times of scarcity, or, for a change. In 

 well developed plants, the leaves are about 3 feet 

 long, and from 2 to 2J broad at the base, smooth, and 

 of a dark green colour. In Seychelles, where the 

 plant is common, and by a curious coincidence called 

 "Via," the large, fleshy succulent stems, or im- 

 mense elongated conns, are used, when boiled, for feed- 

 ing pigs. The via kau, or via kana (cyrtosperma 

 edulis) is sometimes cultivated in swampy places 

 like dalo. Although in general use there is not 

 much of it eaten ; neither is it so good or so highly 



