Nutmegs

No Fortunes In NG Nutmegs

(A Letter to the Editor) A FEW notes in reference to your paragraph in January “Pirn” on the discovery of nutmeg in New Guinea: No doubt this “present generation” in NG is finding out things. But, in case certain people may already be looking forward to making fortunes out of New Guinea nutmegs, the following may be of interest.

The NG nutmeg has been known and recorded for at least half a century.

Any tropical agricultural book dealing with nutmeg invariably makes reference to the large NG variety, and states that it is of little value. During the period 1918-21, I understand, “Kar Kar” Scnmidt and others, dried wild nutmeg at Kar Kar Island and found a small market for it in Sydney, owing to the cultivated article being, at that time, almost un procurable.

There are three varieties on Kar Kar which are also found on the mainland of New Guinea —difference being mostly in size and shape. The largest, when dried, is almost identical with the com mercial variety in appearance, but not in flavour which is the reason for its being of little value. There are large stands of that variety on Kar Kar.

Then there is the smaller variety, similar in shape and appearance and one quite small variety, oval in shape and about the size and shape of the acorn seed but more pointed at each end. Dur ing the mid 30’s, while I was employed by W. M. Middleton on Kar Kar, we dried a quantity of the large variety and sent samples They brought unfav ourable reports owing to lack of flavour etc., and definitely had no market value.

I later drew the attention of Father Hubers—resident priest at Kar Kar—to the nutmeg, and he passed on the in formation to the Sisters at Alexishafen.

Later, Father Hubers told me that they experimented with them and took to pickling the very small variety and that they were delicious. I, unfortunately, never had the chance of sampling them as my wanderings had taken me else where. Still, I hope commercial value can be found in the product, as it would mean quite a lot to New Guinea.

In conclusion, I must add that the tree is delightful in appearance and a worthy ornament to any tropical garden* al though like cocoa it appears to develop better under the shade of other trees.

I am, etc.,

J. West.

Brisbane, May. 1948.