Raised Gardens Now In

Daru

TALKING about vegetables: The June number of the P.I.M. had not long gone the rounds in Daru, Papua, when many of the white residents were talking about making a “raised garden,” as described by Mr. Hanselmann, of Ma dang. And now two are already in exist ence and shaping well for the forthcoming dry season.

This is one of the most useful articles that has appeared in your pages. But, Mr.

Editor, can you not add to it by asking Mr. Hanselmann to give particulars of the varieties which he finds grow best in the New Guinea climate? It looks as if this gentleman has a lot of information up his sleeve that would prove very useful to Island residents, and we would all like to share in it. May we expect “some more”?

Incidentally, it may be of some advantage to mention that a new variety of tomato seeds, called Woodward’s Sensation, ob tainable from Foster’s, Sydney, deserves publicity. From them, crops of fruit that beat all previous records in Daru, were obtained last year.

Still another!

Our cookboy was handed a packet of dried haricot beans, put up by a well known firm for culinary purposes. They looked as if they might have come out of Tutankhamen’s tomb, for all the signs of life they showed.

A week later, Cookie came and asked a question.

“Taubada,” he said. “Bern beans you give any good for plant.”

The answer was a most emphatic NO.

“Well, you come look here.”

The artful one led the way to his own cabbage-patch, and proudly pointed to two of the long-deceased beans in a flourishing state of germination.

“Bern’s growing all right,” he said.

Cookie subsequently explained: “I try ’em first time, suppose they no grow, I no speak, but if they come up, I show ’em.”

The beans are now being tried out in the raised garden.

G.H.V.

EDITORIAL NOTE. —The invitation hereby is extended to Mr. Hanselmann.