394 A TROPICAL BOTANIC GARDEN. 



period only in name, and tlie chief officer considered that the first ten 

 years he passed in Java was only a term of apprenticeship. Still it 

 was during that period, in 1837, that the colonial government decided 

 on a measure which was finally to bring about most fortunate conse- 

 quences. 



The executive member of a so-called natural history commission, to 

 whom was assigned the scientific direction of Buitenzorg, was then 

 Diard, of French nationality, and it was he who warQily urged upon the 

 governor the appointment of Mr. Hasskarl, who had recently landed at 

 Batavia and who wished a position. Diard succeeded in obtaining a 

 provisional appointment for Mr. Hasskarl, first as gardener, then as 

 botanist, and in the latter capacity he was charged with the systematic 

 arrangement of the plants of the garden. This idea of Diard, carefully 

 carried out, by Mr. Hasskarl, contributes much more to the scientific 

 value of the garden than does the great number of species cultivated. 

 Extensive arborescent groups, composed of the largest plants, were 

 thus arranged in the natural order, and the botanist during the five 

 years that he was attached to the garden was able to determine a large 

 number of species and to compose the second catalogue of the garden, 

 published in 1844, embracing over 3,000 plants, among which were 

 many entirely new. 



Diard and Mr. Hasskarl went to Europe on leave, and Teysmann 

 again remained alone and in very difficult circumstances, for after the 

 departure of Diard the control of the botanic garden passed to a mili- 

 tary man, the steward of the governor general's palace. This extraor- 

 dinary arrangement continued, and for about 30 years soldiers con- 

 trolled the Hortus Bogoriensis. Under such conditions a new period of 

 decline, if not of complete eclipse, of the garden would have been in- 

 evitable had it not been for the presence of the energetic Teysmann. 

 The more difficulties he encountered the more he displayed his rare 

 qualities in the interests of the institution to which he felt himself at- 

 tached for life. Travelling much throughout the whole archipelago, he 

 continually sent plants and seeds to the Buitenzorg. Upon his return 

 he was constantly in the breach, fighting for the interests of his gar- 

 den, not even recoiling from conflicts with his military chief, conflicts 

 that it must be confessed were frequent. The result of this line of 

 conduct was that in 18G4, with the aid of Binnendijk, who came to Java 

 in 1850, Te.ysmann issued the third catalogue of the garden, in which 

 the number of species under permanent culture exceeded 8,000. 



Finally, in 1808, the long periods of vicissitudes came to a close. 

 The garden again became a scientific institution of the state, with a 

 special director and appropriation, and entirely independent of the 

 stewards of the palace, with whom it was to have, hereafter, only 

 neighborly relations. This return to the primitive organization was due 

 to the influence of Teysmann, who himself maintained continuous rela- 

 tions with the garden by numerous consignments of seeds and plants 



