756 



t. 17 (taio field); Bull. Econ. Tndo-Chine, viii. 1905, pp. 1193-96 



{esculenta) ; Karsten & Schenck, Veg. bild. viii. t. 43; Journ. & 



Proc. Asiatic Soc. Bengal, ix. 1913, t. 17; Bol. Agrie. Sao Paulo 

 No. 7, 1915, p. 595. 



Ver7iac. names. — Kamu (Hausa, Dudgeon); Gwaza (Hausa,, 



Dalziel); Koko (Yomba, Dalziel); Taro (Polynesia); Dasheen,. 



Eddoes (West Indies) ; Mankani (Accra, Fanti, Easmon) ; Yautia 



Malanga (Porto Rico, Cook & Collins); Gabis (Philippines, 

 Abadilla). 



Coco Yam, China Potato, Carib Cabbage (Sth. Carolina), 

 Egyptian Arum {Watt), Scratch Coco {Watt). 



Tropical Africa, Asia, Malay Archipelago, Pacific Islands ^ 

 Tropical America, West Indies, under cultivation. 



The tuberous roots are used everywhere as food, but " all 

 parts are utilised after being well boiled to separate the acrid- 

 matter common to most Aroids " (Bot. Mag. I.e.). The j'oung 

 leaves and the stalks are eaten like Spinach, Gold Coast (Easmon,, 

 Col. Rep. Misc. No. 1, 1891, p. 35), in Dominica (Jones, Ann. Rep. 

 Agric. Dept. 1917-18, p. 5), and in India (Watt, Comm. Prod, 

 India, p. 398). The blanched shoots are also used as a vegetable 

 in the United States (Year Book, U.S. Dept. Agric. 1916, p. 205 j 

 Agric. New Barbados, xvii. April 20th, 1918, p. 121) and in 

 Dominica (Jones, I.e.). 



Under cultivation there are many varieties, especially in the 

 West Indies. The main conditions are a hot chmate with a good 

 rainfall. In Northern Nigeria it is rarely grown by the Hausas. 

 " A few plants may be seen in the wet locahties and near Zaria, 

 where they are planted in swamps upon high mounds or ridges 

 (Dudgeon, Agric. & For. Prod. W. Africa, p. 153); grown in 

 low-lying meadows, in marshes and near streams. Kontagora, 

 (Dalziel, Bull. Imp. Inst. 1907, p. 260); more commonly grown 

 in the Southern Provinces. The tubers are planted about 3 ft, 

 apart., usually on mounds. The plants come to maturity in 

 about 6-8 months, and the yield may vary from 5000-13,000 

 pounds per acre. In Florida " Dasheens " nlanted on hummock 



March 



a hill 



of the " Trinidad Dasheen " grown from a single tuber at 6 

 months after planting was 5i ft. high with a spread of more than 



hill 



4-10 



\ cj ' X ^^ — ^ — — — - — — — -^ 



Industry, Circ. Dec. 5, 1914). When grown for shoots the method 

 in the West Indies is to plant corms — 2 to 3 lb. in weight in very 

 moist sand or sandy soil, leaving the bud exposed and keeping 

 in total darkness during the whole period of growth. The first 

 crop of shoots (6-12 in. long) is usuaUy ready for cutting in 35-40' 

 days after planting ; they are cut close to the corm and before 

 the leaves begin to expand; from 6-10 cuttings may be made at 

 intervals of from 10-14 days and when exhausted the nlanfs am 

 discarded and replaced by fresh corms {A 

 April 20th, 1918, p. 121). 



