While the Mid-Autumn Festival has past, sales of the pomelo, traditionally eaten at this time of year are still brisk. At the mention of the pomelo, most people immediately think of the plain of Matou, whose people take particular pride in cultivation of the fruit.

Every fall the trees lining the walks of Matou are bursting with plump green pomelos. Locals pluck the ripe fruits and arrange them in finely woven baskets and decorative gift boxes. The common gift of moon cakes during the Mid-Autumn Festival is not nearly so common in Matou, where the gift of the season is pomelos.

The festival itself is also celebrated in a unique manner in Matou. Aside from eating pomelos and using them in offerings to the moon, the people combine the customary activity of moon-watching with "Pomelo Meetings", where cultivators discuss the current year's growth and harvest situation. Under the guidance of the Farmer's Association, the tradition of Pomelo Meetings eventually became one of "Pomelo Research Meetings", where members' opinions on successful cultivation techniques are systematically recorded in efforts at quality improvement.

Matou's seedless pomelos are famous for their sweet, juicy meat, as well as their long history of over 200 years. During the Ch'ien Lung era the original seedlings were brought from the mainland to Taiwan where Matou became the cradle of their early development. As quality improved, the pomelo became a highly prized fruit, reserved exclusively for presentation to the Emperor.

The people of Matou have different explanations for why their land has brought forth such tasty pomelos. Some feel the answer lies in Matou's proximity to the ocean, making for a warm, temperate climate and saltier soil, both of which are advantageous to pomelo cultivation. Others would argue that the cause lies in the natural rather than man-made fertilizers used in original cultivation. A third explanation is that sweet pulp and sediment deposited by sugarcane factories in the area during the Japanese occupation eventually soaked into the soil, resulting in a later generation of particularly sweet fruits.

Matou pomelos maintained their high quality up until 1977, when one third of the trees were destroyed by unusually heavy rains, and the total harvest reduced to a small fraction of expectations. After diagnosis by agronomists it was discovered that the remaining trees suffered from root rot, the result of roots soaking for long periods of time in moist soil during continual rains. By chemical injections into the roots, combined with periodic drainage of underground water during the heavy rain season, many of the trees have recovered their previous vitality.

Matou pomelos, approximately palm sized, are round and plump at the base and pointed towards the top. Those with the best flavor are fairly heavy, with thin, smooth skins and yellow coloring. In the fall these yellow-green fruits delight passersby in the town of Matou, where practically every household has at least one or two of the trees.

The township of Matou itself is located in Tainan County. With an area of 53 square kilometers and a population of 46,000 people, 30,000 of which are farmers, it is clearly an agricultural township. Yet Matou is centrally located, and conveniently accessible by highway.

Pomelos are not the sole treasure which Matou takes pride in. Families in the area have traditionally placed a strong emphasis on their children's education. Popular interest in education is evidenced in the findings of Chen P'ing-jen of the Tainan Literary Society, who states that from Matou have emerged 142 graduates with doctoral degrees, and 256 with master's degrees.

Matou is also the location of numerous schools. The town's oldest school is Matou Elementary, founded during the Ching dynasty. With nine elementary schools and four high schools, Matou has more schools than any other township in southern Taiwan.

With a large population of students, bookstores are similarly plentiful. Strolling on Hsingchung Road, no more than 500 meters in length, one will find five bookstores.

The most exciting time of year in Matou is the posting of the results of Taiwan's national college entrance examinations, particularly for medical and law schools. Firecrackers are ignited and banquets arranged to celebrate the town's high percentage of successful examinees.

Matou specialties also include the white pomelo and the avocado. The white pomelo is another variety within the pomelo family. It tends to be larger and slightly tart. While the small, sweet pomelo has a very short harvest season, white pomelos are available for a more extended period of time. Off-season availability brings them a higher price and marketability.

The avocado, considered a vegetable by those in the West, is actually a member of the tropical fruit family. Originating in Central America and Mexico, it has been propagated in recent years on Taiwan, particularly in a small area of Matou. Approximately 50 metric tons of avocados are produced yearly in Matou, mostly for the southern communities.

Taiwan's avocados are slightly different from those grown in California or Mexico. Their seeds and overall size are larger. Their bright green skins are smooth and shiny, and meat cream-colored.

In the West, avocado may grace a salad or omelette, or be spooned atop a Mexican tostada. As a novelty in Taiwan avocados are eaten individually, often with the addition of sugar, mayonnaise, garlic paste or soy sauce. A popular summer refresher sold by Matou's street vendors is the avocado shake, a nutritious blend of milk and avocados.

Yet another Matou specialty is roasted melon seeds, a popular Chinese snack. Matou's tasty seeds are crisp and brittle, with large, full kernels. Produced in the area as far back as the Ching dynasty, they have long been a well-known product. As a primary supplier in southern Taiwan, Matou township now has 12 melon seed producers.

Roasting good melon seeds is a fast process which demands skill and dexterity. The addition of just the right spices also requires experience. Matou's melon seed cooks are famous for their techniques, and are often called upon to train and instruct those in other townships.

Matou seems to be inherently blessed with fertile soil and abundant crops. Many take it as a matter of course that the township has always been particularly favored by Nature. P'an Ch'un-ling of the Farmer's Association asserts that this has not always been the case, and attributes Matou's abundance rather to its peoples' ability to make correct use of the land.

P'an tells the story of how eight years ago the district of Peishihli was a low-lying, weed-covered marshland. The land was poor and barren, and frequently subject to flooding. Accessible to the sea, its soil contained a detrimental amount of salt. Because of this, the lives of farmers in Peishihli were particularly toilsome and difficult.

Peishihli's residents, determined to improve their lot, dug wells in the low-lying salty land and constructed small-scale fish hatcheries. But lacking experience and technical knowledge, production was low. The farmers decided to organize themselves and approach the Farmer's Association for help.

In 1977 the Farmer's Association underwent research on the soil quality of the area and concluded that the low, salty land was more suitable to raising domesticated animals and fish than to farming. Providing loans, materials and cut-rate utilities, the Association helped 625 families organize to build the farmhouses, roads, drainage ditches and deep-water wells necessary for raising pigs, fish and ducks. In this way, through organized planning and guidance, an area which was once the poorest in Matou is now thriving, with a yearly production of 3,600,000 Taiwan kg. of fish, 75,000 tons of pork and 3,000,000 ducks.

Hsiaopili, in the southeast corner of Matou, produces another specialty —Yellow Emperor Beans. Small in area, Hsiaopili has traditionally cultivated vegetables, and traditionally had scant harvests. At a recent agricultural exhibition however, it was discovered that Hsiaopili's Yellow Emperor Beans were particularly large and sweet. Upon further examination by the Farmer's Association it was found that constant sunshine combined with the shape and sticky quality of the land made Hsiaopili an ideal area for Yellow Emperor Bean cultivation. After converting to the primary cultivation of the bean, Hsiaopili has become another area of prosperity.

The enterprising, progressive spirit of Matou is also evident in the area's younger generation. One example is Ch'iu Hsi-ho, owner of Taiwan's largest alligator farm, which houses 3,000 of the scaly predators. Ch'iu is often asked why he chose to raise these dangerous reptiles. Fond of raising animals since youth, Ch'iu learned in school that all current domesticated animals were at one time wild, and feels that alligators as well may some day be domesticated.

Alligators are also a profitable business. Shoe and leather goods makers flock to Ch'iu's farm for skins, while local restaurants specialize in dishes made with the fine, white meat. Ch'iu has used profits to improve the safety and security of his farm, and is now expanding into exports.

Li Kuo-shan is another of Matou's success stories. While many households raise turkeys in addition to other animals, Li went into breeding them on a large scale. Unprecedented in Matou, many laughed at the original concept. Li surprised them by capturing the domestic turkey market, and exporting to Hong Kong and the Philippines as well.

Li began his farm with a $5,000 loan. His turkey coops are unusually large, and lined with electric fans. This is because turkeys love exercise and are not naturally amenable to being cooped up. They are also particularly sensitive to Taiwan's summer heat.

In recent years pomelo harvests in Matou have dwindled. But a strong base of agricultural success has already been firmly established. New produce such as the avocado, the new fish hatcheries and domesticated animal farms in Peishihli, and the recently planned re-cultivation of Hsiaopili have successfully taken over what began with pomelo cultivation. And there is undoubtedly more to come, as the progressive, enterprising residents of Matou continue to develop new types of produce.

(Jill Ardourel)

[Picture Caption]

1. Peishihli is currently developing fish hatcheries and raising domesticated animals. Pictured are ducks swimming in a fish pond. 2. Vines of a sponge gourd climb to the roof of a house in Matou—a common scene in the area.

1. The pomelo is Matou's most famous product. 2. Candy made from the juice of the pomelo. 3. The white pomelo, also cultivated extensively in the area, is larger in size than the pomelo. 4. In a leisurely fashion a local farmer sells his vegetables by the side of the road. 5. Li Kuo-shan, one of Matou's enterprising youths, has had remarkable success in raising turkeys. 6. A farmer takes goats out to pasture.

1. Symbols representing a knife, swords, axes and the pakua are all secured on a wall protecting a local residence. 2. A great crane with long beak perches below the eaves of an older home, symbolizing longevity, 3. A symbolic stone lion guards an ancient residence.

1. Intricate carvings in an ancient residence. 2. Worn by time, plums painted on a wooden gate have a simple ancient beauty. 3. Bonsais on a sunny veranda reflect the rural atmosphere. 4. Anthropomorphic figures with hideous faces are used to frighten away evil spirits.

1. A plow ox decorates the wall of the Chiuan district activities center. 2. An ancient stone device used for squeezing juice from sugar cane. 3. Fading rays of sunlight linger into the evening. 4. Carefree children explore village streets on their bicycles. 5. Wedding ceremony cakes, fresh from the oven of a local bakery. 6. At a busy Matou market, residents sell the produce they have grown themselves.

1. A unique house constructed of multi-colored boards. 2. Young girls ride their bikes past a church building. 3. Students return home as another day comes to a close in the small township.

2. Vines of a sponge gourd climb to the roof of a house in Matou—a common scene in the area.

1. The pomelo is Matou's most famous product.

2. Candy made from the juice of the pomelo.

3. The white pomelo, also cultivated extensively in the area, is larger in size than the pomelo.

4. In a leisurely fashion a local farmer sells his vegetables by the side of the road.

5. Li Kuo-shan, one of Matou's enterprising youths, has had remarkable success in raising turkeys.

6. A farmer takes goats out to pasture.

2. A great crane with long beak perches below the eaves of an older home, symbolizing longevity.

1. Symbols representing a knife, swords, axes and the pakua are all secured on a wall protecting a local residence.

3. A symbolic stone lion guards an ancient residence.

1. Intricate carvings in an ancient residence.

2. Worn by time, plums painted on a wooden gate have a simple ancient beauty.

3. Bonsais on a sunny veranda reflect the rural atmosphere.

4. Anthropomorphic figures with hideous faces are used to frighten away evil spirits.

1. A plow ox decorates the wall of the Chiuan district activities center.

2. An ancient stone device used for squeezing juice from sugar cane.

3. Fading rays of sunlight linger into the evening.

4. Carefree children explore village streets on their bicycles.

5. Wedding ceremony cakes, fresh from the oven of a local bakery.

6. At a busy Matou market, residents sell the produce they have grown themselves.

1. A unique house constructed of multi-colored boards.

2. Young girls ride their bikes past a church building.

3. Students return home as another day comes to a close in the small township.