23 



Colocasia antiquorum ; Colocass ; Taro, Tania, Eddoes, 

 Egyptian Colocassia; Aroideae. 



No var. that of the Menoufieh province particularly : Shanawan 

 being the best. 



II : By sets or divisions of tubers, each division possessing at 

 least one good eye. 



The sets are planted in holes, low down on the ridges, at a distance 

 apart of 85 cm. between the ridges and about 50 cm. between the 

 plants The amount of tubers required per feddan varies from 5 12 

 cautars (The w r eight of cantar generally being 300 rtl), with 8 as an 

 average. 



III : Beginning of April. 



V : Eight to ten, average 9 months after planting. The crop may 

 keep long in the soil, after it is ripe, if the soil is kept in a dry 

 condition. 



VII : A perennial herb, annual under cultivation, grown for its 

 edible tubers ; often it is grown as a plant of ornament for its hand- 

 some heart-shaped leaves. 



The tubers are eaten as a vegetable ; they contain an abundance of 

 excellent farinaceous matter Previous to cooking they ought to 

 be repeatedly washed in order to separate a mucilaginous substance 

 they contain in abundance. The acrid substance found in them is dissi- 

 pated by the process of cooking. Leaves are not eaten by stock ; being 

 dried they often are used as an adulterant to tobacco, with which 

 they bear a great resemblance, when chopped. The pressed juice of 

 the petioles is styptic and may be used to arrest bleeding. 



VIII : Chiefly grown in Lr. Egt ; highly prized by natives 

 and of the most paying crops generally a farm crop It requires 

 a sandy loam with an abundance of organic matter in it. Heavy manu- 

 ring in the form of f. y. manure ; abundance of moisture ; thorough 

 cultivation and drainage Careful after-cultivation earthing up about 

 2 months after planting As the plant takes long to raise up, plant 

 with it a catch-crop such as, French Beans, cucumber, etc. Produce, 

 about 100 cantars per fdn. on good land. 



