$ Transactions. — Miscellaneous. 



etc.* Notwithstanding, they had large plantations also, which might be 

 called tribal, or commvinal ; and sometimes these were a few acres in 

 extent. 



For the kumara — Ipomcea chrysorrhiza — a dry and light sandy, or rather 

 gravelly soil, was selected ; and if it were not so naturally, it would be sure 

 to become such, as every year they laboriously carried on to it many a 

 weary back-load of fine gravel, obtained from pits or river beds in the 

 neighbourhood, and borne away in large and peculiarly close-woven baskets 

 specially prepared for that purpose only. This labour, however, was the 

 principal heavy one attending their cultivations ; as, before they knew the 

 Europeans and for some time after, they never strongly fenced their planta- 

 tions, not having any need to do so ; the highly laborious and additional 

 work of making wooden fences around their cultivations in after years arose 

 from the introduction of the pig. They did, however, put up fences and 

 screens of reeds, etc. ; this was done to break the force of the winds which 

 blow strongly m the early summer, the young kumara plant being tender, 

 and the taro possessing large semi-pendulous leaves. Cook also noticed 

 this ; he says, " Each district " (qu. plantation, or division of a plantation) 

 " was fenced in, generally with reeds, which were placed so close together 

 that there was scarcely room for a mouse to creep between." (loc. cit.) 



For the taro — Colocasia antiquorum, or Calaclium esculenta — a very 

 different soil and damp situation was required ; hght and deep yet loamy, 

 or alluvial, often on the banks of streams or lagoons, and sometimes at the 

 foot of high cliffs near the sea. 



For then- valuable gourd the hue — Cucurbita sp. — a damp rich soil, with 

 warmth to bring it to perfection, was required ; this was often sown in, and 



* The last two occasions (known to me) of this heing done, may be briefly noticed in 

 a note — seeing that well-known Maori chiefs of Hawke's Bay were concerned. (1.) Te 

 Hapuku, in 1847, rooted up and destroyed the young growing crop of kumara belonging 

 to Takamoana, (afterwards baptized and named Karaitiana=rChristian, and, in years long 

 after, one of the Maori Members in the House of Eepresentatives), owing to a severe 

 quarrel between them, or rather between Te Hapuku and Takamoana's tribe; to show his 

 pre-eminent right to the land where they grew, not far from their respective pas on the 

 east bank of the river Ngaruroro. (2.) Te Hapuku again, in 1850, tore up and destroyed 

 the kumara crop, and killed the tame pigs, of the venerable old Melchizedeck Te Motu, at 

 Te Haukee (near Te Aute), where the old man then lived almost alone. The offence in this 

 case was, that Te Motu was Te Hapuku's old family and tribal priest, (and there was now 

 not another left 1) and he had dared to become a Christian and to be baptized, and subse- 

 quently refused to perform some of his old ceremonies when required to do so by Te 

 Hapuku, saying, that " all such now were of no use whatever ! " "I would not have done 

 so," said Te Hapuku to me, afterwards, when expostulating with him, " had he but 

 listened to me for a short time longer, and performed the ceremony of horohoro over my 

 children before that he left me ; now there i^ no one left to do it ! " 



