TORREYA 



August, 1915. 

 Vol. 15 No. 8 



BOTANICAL SKETCHES FROM THE ASIATIC 

 TROPICS 



HII«AS¥ 

 By Henry Allan Gleason NffiW YOKK 



HOTaNICaI 



{Continued from July Torreya) 



III. JAVA 



The steamers of the Dutch hues ply directl}- between Europe 

 and Java, but the ordinary way by which the tourist reaches 

 that island is from Singapore. The- short trip is itself inter- 

 esting, because at almost all times the vessel is in sight of some 

 mountainous island, and through the field glasses one may get 

 glimpses of the tropical vegetation along shore. On the second 

 morning, the great mass of the Gedeh volcano suddenly appears 

 in the sky to the southward, and a few hours later the steamer 

 is in the harbor of Tanjong Priok. 



This place is the seaport of Batavia, the largest city of the 

 island, located some six miles inland, and connected with its 

 port by rail. The old city of Batavia is now completely merged 

 with the new city of Weltevreden, recently built by the Dutch. 

 The newer part has broad streets, immense public squares, and 

 several government buildings. It gives one the impression of 

 having been patterned, in some degree, after the city of Washing- 

 ton, without having attained either the beauty or the dignity 

 of our own city. 



The through trains, which traverse the entire length of the 



island, start at Batavia, pass through Weltevreden, and then 



run inland to and beyond Buitenzorg. The ride of forty miles 



to the latter city is extremely interesting, and one almost re- 



[No. 7, Vol. 15, of Torreya, comprising pp. 139-160, issued 12 August, 1915.] 



161 



