A TROPICAL BOTANIC GARDEN. 399 



pure and applied science is studied in Europe on the one hand and in 

 a tropical country on the other. When among European peoples sci- 

 ence took the marvellous flight which characterizes our century, a differ- 

 entiation soon commenced. Purely scientific studies and investigations 

 remained as formerly more or less directly attached to the universities 

 and faculties, in a word, to superior instruction, properly so called. But 

 at the same time the remarkable useful applications which accompanied 

 the progress of science necessitated the creation of special institutions, 

 polytechnic schools, technical laboratories, experimental gardens, agri- 

 cultural stations, etc. Both of these sister branches, pure and ap[)lied 

 science, equally demanded indefatigable workers, trained in method and 

 gifted in intelligence. While having a totally different object, they 

 remain in relation and continual contact. Still the specialization exists 

 and it may be easily foreseen that it will increase. It is the same or 

 will be the same in colonies where the climatic conditions permit the 

 European to fix his permanent habitation, but it is not the case for 

 European colonies in tropical countries. There the colonists do not 

 come with the intention of remaining permanently. On the contrary, 

 from the time of their arrival in the distant country, however beautiful 

 and fertile it may be, they are firmly resolved to return to their native 

 land. The majority of them, having acquired social position or the 

 wished-for fortune, hasten to return home, almost certain to find that 

 the recollections of childhood and youth are deceptive, and that the 

 climate and social organization in Europe are far from reaching the 

 ideal which they had formed during their sojourn at the antipodes. 



Recently the question has been much discussed whether Europeans 

 can found colonies (in the strict sense of the word) in tropical countries, 

 reside there for several successive generations, and raise there a pure 

 blooded race. The celebrated Professor Virchow is one of those who 

 deny with great authority and energy the possibility of a true acclima- 

 tion of a European race in a tropical country. If a naturalist who has 

 dwelt in the beautiful island of Java for some years, and who is a fervent 

 admirer of it, may be allowed to have an opinion on this mooted ques- 

 tion, I must avow that everything goes to show that M. Virchow is right. 

 But whatever opinion may be held concerning the theoretical possibility 

 of this acclimation, the plain fact is this, that in the Dutch East Indies, 

 and so far as I know in other tropical countries also that have been 

 under European control for some centuries, the pure race has not suc- 

 ceeded in becoming acclimated. 



This point once understood, it will be clearly seen why (with rare ex- 

 ceptions) universities, faculties of sciences, and similar institutions have 

 hitherto been wanting in tropical colonies. Families send their sons to 

 Europe to study and take their degrees. The teaching body of the uni- 

 versity, with its laboratories, its libraries, its cabinets, and its collections, 

 does not there exist; and yet it is especially in a tropical colony that 

 material interests, so important there, ought to cause great value to be 



