74 



VAIitTE AND AMOUNT OF NATIVE SEAWEEDS SOLD IN 

 HONOLULU. 



It would be rather difficult to tell the exact amount or value of all 

 the seaweed sold each year in Honolulu, but it is possible to make a 

 fairly accurate estimate from the market inspector's report and the 

 Chinese merchants' statements. 



The inspector of the fish markets reports the annual sale of 4,800 

 pounds of limu, valued at about $2,600. It is sold almost exclusively 

 to the Hawaiians or part Hawaiians. Of this total about 2,000 pounds 

 is limu kohu, which is worth about $1,000 at retail. The remaining 

 amount is about two-thirds to three-fourths limu eleele and limu oolu. 

 All the rest are comparatively scarce or not so popular, so are only in 

 the market occasionally during certain seasons of the year. Limu kohu 

 is always in the market, while the other limus are usually found only 

 on Saturdays and the day before holidays. 



The following limus are found in the Honolulu fish market, either 

 regularlv or at intervals, according to the season or the weather: Limu 

 kohu {Asparagoj>sis scmfoTdiana), limu eleele {Enteromorphaprolifera, 

 E. flexuosa, E. intestinalis, E. hophirkii, and E. plumosa), limu oolu 

 {Ohondria tenuissima), limu lipeepee or limu maneoneo {Laurencia 

 papulosa, L. pinnatifida, L. virgata, L. dbtusatd), limu manauea ( Graci- 

 la/ria coronopifolia)^ limu lipoa {Dictyota acutildba and Haliseris pla- 

 giogramma), limu kalawai {JVaias major), and occasionally limu huna. 



Usually these native limus are cleaned, pounded, and salted all ready 

 for serving before they are offered for sale in small plates or saucers. 

 These plates contain from a half pound to a pound of the limu, which 

 sells at from 5 to 25 cents per plate, depending upon the kind. A few 

 varieties like limu lipoa, limu lipeepee, limu manauea, limu huna, and 

 limu kalawai, or fresh-water kala, are sold in loose handf uls, with no 

 preparation except washing off the sand. Every native who buys a 

 fish or a lobster also buys his plate or handful of limu. 



Limu kohu is always pounded fine enough to be pressed into balls 

 before it is packed with salt in tins or barrels to be shipped to Hono- 

 lulu market. When retailed it is made into balls about the size of a 

 large baseball and weighing about a pound. They always sell at 25 

 cents each, though the balls are smaller in stormy weather when limu 

 kohu is scarce. All these limus are vei-y moist, so they are always 

 tied up neatly in fresh green ti leaves when purchased to prevent the 

 water from leaking out upon the buyer's clothes. The ti leaves also 

 keep the limu fresh and moist and never soak up the water as paper 

 does if tied about something wet. 



Nearly all the limu is sold in the market by native women, who have 

 other Hawaiian delicacies, as sea urchins, roasted kukui nuts, crabs, 

 cocoanut pudding, small cubes of raw beef liver, ready to serve with 

 limu, etc. 



The amount of limu sold in Honolulu does not of course include nearly 

 all that is actually consumed either on these islands, on Oahu, or even 



