"Unforgettable!"

Tahiti Considers The Durian

From Our Own Correspondent

Papeete, Dec. 7.

SOME years ago a horticulturist—who has brought to Tahiti many exotic plants of beauty and usefulness— im ported some strange saplings which he nurtured with tender care.

His Tahitian neighbours—who appar ently sleep in relays or never sleep at all, lest they miss seeing all that goes on— reported that the horticulturist was ac customed to go by night to take the temperature and feel the pulse of the new saplings, and to swathe them against the cold midnight breezes from the mountains. Whether or no this is the exact truth, the saplings grew and flourished, and, in due time, put forth blossoms which ripened into fruit.

The flavour of this fruit—the Durian— is reputed to be of incomparable sweet ness. But, as in the Norse legend of the “Treasure of the World” surrounded by a wall of fire which only the hero who never knew fear could penetrate, the flavour of the Durian is protected by a mighty rampart—an awful, unforgettable odour. So far (in Tahiti) only those Siegfrieds who have breached the fear some defences of certain celebrated fromages, have summoned courage to essay the Durian. Others are content to learn of its virtues from their testi mony.

Many have wondered why the Durian was brought to Tahiti. Perhaps he who has established so many flowering trees, exotic fruits and lovely garden plants, foresaw that one day these would be taken for granted and their cultivation forgotten. Even in its native land, the Durian is never taken for granted. It has personality that forbids forgetfulness.

Like the poet Horace who boasted: “Exegi monumentum aere perennius”, our horticulturist has established for himself an imperishable monument, more endur ing than any memorial of bronze or marble.