87 



houses in every native town. The root is large 

 and soft, and full of a sweetish juiee resembling 

 stick-liquorice in taste. It is either chewed by 

 itself, or used by the natives to sweeten their vakalolo 

 — puddings. 



The cassava, or tapioca plant (jatropha manihot), 

 has been recently introduced. Single plants and 

 occasionally small plantations of it were noticed in 

 the vicinity of several native towns, and it was seen 

 growing like a wild plant in many places in the 

 forests. Its presence there is most probably owing 

 to 'cuttings of it having dropped out of a bundle 

 while being carried through the forest. It grows 

 readily from cuttings of the stem. These cuttings 

 are generally about a foot in length, and are laid flat 

 in the ground at the bottom of a hole about 6 inches 

 deep, and then covered with soil to the depth of an 

 inch. As an article of food, the root is not much 

 relished in Fiji either by the natives or Europeans. 

 In Seychelles it is otherwise. There the roots are 

 frequently eaten raw, and by law, the planters, sup- 

 ply them for food to the labourers on the cocoa- 

 nut plantations. The young roots when boiled are 

 served as a vegetable and are very palatable, but 

 become hard and fibrous as they grow old. The 

 roots are also grated into a kind of meal, from which 

 cakes are made (much the same as oatcakes in Scot- 

 land). These cakes are to be found on almost every 

 table in Seychelles. 



The ivi nut, in its season, is also largely used as 

 food throughout Fiji. When grated, it forms one 

 of: the ingredients of Fijian madrai. The kerne] is 

 roasted or boiled in the pod, and eaten either cold 

 or hot. Its taste is not unlike that of the chestnut, 



