306 A MISSION TO VITI. 
earthenware pots; but the taste is such that few fo- 
reigners acquire a partiality for it, and the natives them- 
selves infinitely prefer our bread and biscuit to their 
own madrai. Yet it is most fortunate that in a country 
where numerous kinds of fruits and edible roots, how- 
ever abundant at certain seasons, are subject to such 
rapid decay, the natives are acquainted with a simple 
process, by means of which they are able to store up 
their provisions, and thus effectually guard against ex- 
treme want in a land of plenty. 
A few other esculent roots remain still to be men- 
tioned. Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum, Linn.) grown in 
Mr. Moore’s garden at Mataisuva I found tolerably good. 
An attempt made by Mr. Carey, at Wairiki, to raise 
radishes, did not succeed. Shalots are cultivated to a 
considerable extent by the natives. ‘Turnips have been 
produced from imported seeds. The sweet potato (Ba- 
tatas edulis, Chois.) is an introduction probably from 
New Zealand, as the Fijian name (Kumara) proves iden- 
tical with that given by the Maoris. It succeeds well, 
but does not seem to be much valued. The Masawe or 
Vasili Toga (Dracena sp.), is a shrub with obovate 
leaves, cultivated, and perhaps, judging from the name 
Vasili Toga (= Tonga) it bears in some parts of the 
group, an importation from the Tongan islands. Its root 
is large, weighs from 10 to 14 lbs., and when baked, re- 
sembles in taste and degree of sweetness, as near as pos- 
sible that of stick-liquorice. The Fijians chew it, or use 
it for sweetening puddings. They were ignorant of the 
art of extracting an intoxicating liquor from it, known 
to the Hawaiians. There is another species of Dracena 
