CoLENSO. — On the Vegetable Food of the Ancient Neiv Zealanders. 15 



also was propagated by planting its roots or tubers, or, more properly speak- 

 ing, its small offset shoots, which were carefully pinched off for that purpose ; 

 but, being a perennial, and always " in season," its tubers were not taken 

 up and stowed away for future use, but were generally dug up when wanted 

 for cooking, etc. Hence it was doubly useful to them, in some respects more 

 so than the kumara. It was also very prolific, increasing its set tubers 

 rapidly, both in size and in the offshoots, in a suitable soil, so that a clump 

 of tare tubers passed into a proverb,''' to show the number and resources of 

 a strong tribe. Of this plant there are also more than twenty varieties or 

 species,! which, like the kumara, differed greatly in size, in quality, and in 

 the colour of its flesh ; besides one which is known to have been introduced 

 since the time of Cook's visit. This newer one is called taro hoia ; it is a 

 much larger root (tuber) and plant, and it is also coarser in its flesh, and is 

 not so generally liked. Both the tubers and the thick succulent stems 

 (petioles) of the large leaves of the plants were eaten, but only after being 

 thoroughly cooked ; a severe burning of the lips, mouth, and throat, at- 

 tended by constriction, followed the imprudent eating of it when not fully 

 dressed. 



This esculent tuber was made to play an important part in many of 

 their higher ceremonial observances — as, at the naming of a newly-born 

 chief's child — at the death of a chief — at the exhumation, which in due time 

 always followed — and also at the visits of welcome strangers. For each 

 observance, or feast, the ancient Maoris used their particular varieties or 

 sorts ; a similar usage was also practised on such occasions with their va- 

 rieties of animal food. This custom they could not so well have carried 

 out with their kumara, as there were seasons when it was not to be had at 

 all. 



3. The third food plant cultivated by them was a fine one of the gourd 

 family, called by them the hiie. This noble and highly useful plant was 

 annually raised from seed, and was their only one so propagated ; and, 

 curiously enough, of this plant, though yielding seed in great plenty, there 

 was only one species and no varieties. Its seeds, before sowing, were 

 wrapped up in a few dry fern fronds, (Pteris esculenta), and steeped in run- 

 ning water for a few days. It was to them of great service, furnishing not 

 only a prized and wholesome vegetable food (or rather fruit) during the 

 whole of the hot summer days while it lasted, and before their kumara were 

 ripe for use, but was also of great use in many other ways. It was always 

 a pleasing sight to see it growing in a suitable soil, as it grew fast and 



♦ See "Trans. N.Z. Inst.," Vol. XII., p. 140. 

 t See Appendix C, 



