THE TARO ROOT. 171 



domestic use and for exportation in the West Indies, and in 

 some parts of Hindostan. The arrowroot is obtained by first 

 pounding the long stalky roots in a large wooden mortar, and 

 pouring a quantity of water over them. After the wdiole has 

 been agitated for some time, the starch, separated from the 

 fibres, collects at the bottom of the vessel, and, having been 

 cleansed by repeated washing, is dried in the sun. 



The Tacca pinnatifida, likewise an herbaceous plant with 

 pinnated leaves, an umbelliform blossom, and large potato-like 

 roots, is scattered over most of the South Sea Islands. It is not 

 cultivated in the Hawaiian group, but found growing wild in 

 abundance in the more elevated districts, where it is satisfied 

 with the most meagre soil, and sprouts forth among the lava 

 blocks of those volcanic islands. Arrowroot is prepared from 

 this plant in the same manner as from the West Indian Ma- 

 rantha, but, as the improvident Polynesians only think of 

 digging it out of the earth, and never give themselves the 

 trouble ot replanting the small and useless tubers, its quantity 

 has very much diminished. 



The Caladium-esculentum, an aquatic plant, furnishes the 

 large Taro roots which, boiled to a thick paste, form the chief 

 food of the Sandwich Islanders, and are extensively cultivated 

 in many other groups of the South Seas. It grows like rice on 

 a marshy ground, the large sagittated leaves rise on high foot- 

 stalks, immediately springing from the root, and are likewise 

 very agreeable to the taste, but are more seldom eaten, as they 

 are used for propagation. Severed from the root, they merely 

 require to be planted in the mud to produce after six months a 

 new harvest of roots. The growth is so abundant that 1,500 

 persons can live upon the produce of a single square mile, so 

 that supposing the United Kingdom to be one vast taro-field, 

 its surface would be able to nourish about two thousand 

 millions of souls. 



As there is a mountain-rice which thrives without artificial 

 irrigation, there is also a moimtsim-isii'o {Galadium cristatum), 

 which resembles the former in general appearance, but prefers 

 a more dry and elevated soil. Although the plant grows wild 

 both in the Society and Marquesas Islands, yet Pitcairn's Island 

 was the only spot where Mr. Bennett saw it cultivated. 



But the possession of a plant which furnishes so much food 



