186 THE GUAM RECORDER UCTOI1ER 1926

MEMOIRS OF DON FELIPE DE LA CORTE'S ELEVEN YEARS AS GOVERNOR OF GUANI

1855-1866

(Continued from September issue)

THE Al'JNUAL FooD-BEARING PLANTS, VEGETABLES AND FRuiTs.

THE POPULATION AND THEIR CUSTOMS OF SIXTY YEARS AGO

ANNUAL FOOD-BEARING PLANTS

CEREALS ~1AIS ( Zea mays). The principal cereal cultivated

on the island for the consumption of its inhabitants, is Maize, or Indian Corn; every year it giveR at least two crops, called respectively: "Primern.", and "Aventurero". The primera corn, planted after the first showers of April or May, is harvested in August or September; and the aventurero crop, usually planted in D ecember, is harvested in April. However, some corn ~s sown almost every month in the year, being gathered accordingly; yet., with the exception of the pri mera, it should all be planted in low or damp grouud to avoid the danger of being killed by drought- a peril to which that cultivated on high land is greatly exposed .

The natives here always prepare their maize for eating in the same way; they put it to soak over­night in lime-water, which is poured over it boiling hot. This softens it and loosens the husk so that the next morning th~y tnke it, clean and bleached, and grind it to n. paste by means nf a Htone rolling­pin called "mano", on an inclined stone slab called "metate". They shape the pastD by hand into flat cakes about an eight of an inch thick, and cook them on a flat imn plate, or "Tamq,l'', toasting them on both sides. These parched cakes or ''tortillas" being ve ry nourishing n.nd substantial, and are preferred by the natives to an~r other food.

PALAY OR FAr (Oryza sativa). The only other cereal cultivated in Guam is rice. The methods of planting, cultivating, harvesting and preparing for food are the same as those used in the Philippines. It is not greatly in demand here, because of the n::ttive preference for m<:tize (1870) (N otr: During t he year July 1, 1925, to June 30, 1926 , ·there was imported into Guam 1,641,794 pounds (732Yz tons) of rice which was vn.lued at $55,87_1 89 .-Editor.)

ROOTS AND TUBERS: Tho~e most commonly cul-ti vr.. t ed on a large scale are as fo1lows: The cnmotc or sweet. potato (Ipomoea batatas); dago, or Chinese yam ( Dioscorta glabra); Suni, or Taro (Caladium colocasia); anct Nica, or Yellow yam (Dioscorea fasci­culata lutescens and allied vnrieties). The natives n su~lly plant camotes in con r- idera.ble quantities in order to sell them to the whalers who come this wav to replenish their stock. The dago anrl the nica a~~ rather scarse, for the simple reason that their cul­tivation requires a little more work. The taro is the tuber most in favor, because it produces much :lnd needs little attention.

IN THE WOODS , THE ''HrcAMAS" ( Cacara erosa), which looks like a potatn, and the ''Gado" or spiny yam ( Dioscorea spinosa) grow wild in such profusion t.l1at they form what may be called a natural food reserve for the na t iyes.

CACAHUATE, l\tlANI OR PEANUT (Arachis hypogaea) which grows easily in all loose or sandy ·soil, is rai~ec! from seed or from slips, these last. usually considered the more · productive. Very little is· planted, and the nuts are, oddly enough, eaten while still green . This useful tuber might be cultivated on a large :::scale, because, in addition to its -food value, it is very rich in an oil, much used in China for all the purpo'ses to wbich olive oil is put in Spain. Also, the oil-cake, or residue from the oil-extraction, fur­nishes good feed for pig.s, _poultry, and other anim·aJe, and makes very good fertilizer for fields. The stems and leaves are relished by cattlf' and hor~es, who eat them green or dry; it is an excellent fodder fo ~ them. Wherever the camote is grown, this crop could be substituted, planted in rotation with maize, it might be grown in commercial 'quantities for tbe sake of its oil, an article· for which there woulrl be a steady and profitable market. The peanut grows to maturity in five months', its ·fruit being then ripe, so that, with careful cuHivation, all farms could raise yearly one corn crop for f~od and one peannt crop for oil to b~ exported. In case the population of Guam should evf'r increase, this · product seems to _us one of those destined to · develop the a gricultura I ·resources of the is]a·nrl. ·

The quantity of roots gathered in 1863 according to the official reports, in which only .camote, dago, suni, and cultivated nicn were inch_.dcd , amounted to 3700 tons. ·

SPICES: A good deal of ·· wi-ld gi11ger ( Zinzibtr zingiber) is found on the is la nd but. : as it is 11iot of very good quality, little w=e is made of it.

TuRMERIC (Curcuma longa), kn.Jwn as Dilao in the Philippihef', also grows wild nnd iR uecd ns _a condiment but -is only gathered as wanted .

THE AcHOTE TREE, ARNOTTO (Bixa ore/lana), ·grows fr(-'ely he rr; its spif'y fruit a 1so prorluce~ an orange dye but we rio not think thn.t this .dye has any commercial valu0. (N otP: It .iE principally employecl to color food, such as rice) ·

MusTARD ( Brassica juncea) i~ here culLivated for the sake of it-s leaves which are used as a green rel ish, or salad.; tbe seed is collected only for planting.

VEGETABLES OR FRUITS: Among these are several different varieties of beans planted a long the fences