167 



- 



have discussed the question of why Papua, with her Ani*optera % sip. No. 136 3 so common in the northern 



great supplies of rattans, is not exporting this material division of Papua, yields copious supplies of a very in- 



in large quantities, I have gathered that the prepara- ferior gum. Resins of this family are usually traded 



Hon of the cane is the difficulty, and that some curing 

 or seasoning process is necessary. In the literature 1 

 have perused on the subject I have failed to find any 

 reference to any such process. The canes, cleaned of 

 their loose skins, are cut into convenient lengths and 

 bent hairpin-wise, and then bundled together and 

 shipj>ed. As far as I am able to find out, any pre- 



paration they receive is done by the manufacturer of u , .■! L u • 1 , , 



, , J m , , n t T *:, . n ,, collect the most obvious and common trees 



in under the name of Damar, and are used for making 

 spiril varnishes and such like purposes. 



There being no other resin used, it will be a question 

 of investigating the resinous species that occur. 

 Mention is made of this characteristic wherever it 

 occurs in the species, material of which has been 

 collected, but I do not pretend to have done more than 



For in- 



altitude being 



basket work. The trouble, I think, lies in another 

 direction — that of grading. There are so many 

 different species of Calamus, and some are doubtless 

 more brittle when dry than others; some retain a nice 

 shiny, varnished look; others become drab and grey. 

 I am not aware as to the grades desired by Australian 

 importers, and the Director of the Institute of Science 

 and Industry (Sir G. H. Knibbs, K.B.E., C.JVJ.G.), 

 has also been unable to get detailed information. He 

 writes: — 



"It is difficult to obtain definite information re 

 desirable properties. The canes must not be too 

 hard, too brittle, the smaller diameters, in particular, 

 must be flexible. They are used in all sizes, from 

 those of 3 mm. diameter to those of 33 mm. All the 

 importers approached would like samples submitted 

 to them. M 



All this points to a careful investigation of our rattan 

 supplies, and to the systematic determination and the 



grading of the different species. If botanical material 



and canes were collected of each species, and all in- 

 formation included in field notes, the botanical The family Sapotacea contains a number of genera 



material could be then submitted to Mr. White, and yielding a white milk 



stance, going along Turner's Bluff, in the Ea^t Centra] 

 Division, I came on some Agathis; the trees were small 

 and not in flower or fruit, so T did not collect them. 

 This genus yields good resin, and if there are any large 

 trees, a search should be made for resin. This is the 

 only locality that I have seen them, and they were 



mixed with Quercus Junghuhnii, the 



only 2,500 feet. Wormia and A nhoplera abounded 

 there also, so it is probable that, this Agathis will be 

 found elsewhere at quite a low altitude. Of gums, 

 there are a number used by natives, mainly for scent. 



The common occurrence of aromatic gums is rather a 



feature of the Papuan forest. The 8efnecarpu$ yields 



a dark-brown, almost black, gum, which is worth 



examination. Some trees of this genus supply a basis 

 for marking ink. 



The red kino of No. 4- — Nara (Pterocarpui) — is 



already on the market, but it is an Indian trade, and, 

 as far as I know, it has not been exported from 

 Papua,. 



which < oagulates into 



• •ill ( a 



the canes to the Director of the Institute of^ Science perch*. The family is well represented, andtrees 



belonging lo it are to be found at all elevations, from 



and Industry, who has kindly expiessed his willingness 

 to have the material examined. Duplicates of material 

 should be kept in the Agricultural Department, so 

 that when the canes are graded it will be possible to 

 advise collectors as to the kind that is wanted by the 

 trade. 



sea level to 7, f>00 tVet. No. 204 — I'ai/ani. sp. 



is certainly worth attention; also Nos. "227, .'VJo and 

 391, which have not been determined. 



In the Mandated Territory in Herman times, much 



A promising development of an export trade awaits exploring for " gutta was earned oui, and the best 

 the satisfactory grading of Papuan rattans. was sa,(l 1() have b ® e " obtained from 386, Stderoxylon 



novo-gutneen.se, K.Sch. 



Of the many trees that yield a rubber bearing Latex, 



none is, I think, sufficiently important to compete 

 successfully with the Para rubber that is being grown 

 in plantations in the Territory. One apocynaccou* 

 vine, and the common tig (/*'. rigo) are i he best yieldera 

 I have met, but neither is really worth much atten- 

 tion, having regard to the cost of collecting. 



Resins, Gums, Kino, Gutta and Ruhbek. 



A number of Papuan trees yield resins and a number 

 yield gums, while No. 4 Nara — yields a good kino. 

 The natives use the resins of several trees for lamp 

 black for tatooing. The resin is set alight and a leal' 

 held over the smoke, and lamp black is thus collected. 

 The kino of Nara is used to fasten the akin of the 

 iguana to the drum head. Resins are used to fasten 

 arrow heads. Generally speaking, however, resins are 

 little used by natives, and the only one that has to-day 

 been exported by white people is that obtained in the 

 island of Sudest. I have not visited this island, and 

 so can give no information as to the quantities avail- 

 able. Specimens of the leaves, fruit, wood and bark 

 were kindly submitted to me, and the botanical 

 material was identified by Mr. White as Vatiea 

 papuana, herbarium Xo. 435. A small business has 

 developed in the export of this gum, which appears to 

 be collected at the base of the trees. The specimens 

 I have seen consist of clear, yellow, brittle lumps, up 



to 7 lb. in weight, and in appearance compared well 



with Kauri, but are not so clear as the gum copal of 

 Sierra Leone. Samples of this gum would, 1 think, 

 interest the large varnish firms of the United Kingdom. 

 The prices obtained up till now appear to be around 

 £20. 



Oils. 



With the exception of coco-nut oil,* which is some- 

 times made on the coast, the natives seem to subsist 

 without vegetable oils, either for cocking or for burn- 

 So there is no oil-bearing i ree I 1: x1 



mg. 



leguminous beans are 



large 



Also tin 



is no oii-oearmg tree l can directly 



point to as useful. A large number of nuts are 



decidedly oily, and should be investigated; some of the 



and plent iful. 



wood oil family — EuphoTbtaceat — requires seaiching for 

 linseed-like oil. The fruits of CalophyUum %nophyllurn t 

 which is so common a tree along the beaches, yield 



udilool, which is exported from Burma for medical 



purposes. The kernels of the nuts of TemUii'tha, ohnri % 

 and its brother Ttrminalia 



all 



and 



wort h investigation. 



oil-bearing 



; again I can &a> 



The species is by no means confined to Sudest, but 

 ccurs all over the Territories, and T found it particu- 

 larly plentiful on the hills above the Vailala, where 

 it is called Kokolaka. Resin from that district was 

 sent, to Sydney some years ago, but no business came 



of it. All the DipterocarpacecB are resinous, and 



p are 

 Of essenl lal oils 



little, as the time at my disposal has been too short 



Essential oils, comprisin 



the best scents, it is quite possible 



among the Papuan ones some oils of value will be 

 covered. 



for such invest igat ions. 

 they do, all 





u 



Again the cultivation of essentia] oil plants 



* i ;im making no reference t«> tin proda<t- and by-producta of such tin as 

 the coco -nut ami tl rubbeT illrreu bra ilimsi$), for they are cultivated In 

 plantation* and all data concerning them are obi nable from the Department 

 of A •_' [{culture, Port Moresby. 



