try

$form->push_input("textarea",{"name"=>"texta","value"=>"test"});  
$input = $form->find_input("texta","textarea");
print $input->name();
print $input->value();
[download]

or

$form->push_input("textarea",{"name"=>"texta"});  
$input = $form->find_input("texta","textarea");
$input->value("test");
print $input->name();
print $input->value();
[download]

Greetz
Beatnik
... Quidquid perl dictum sit, altum viditur.