278 



have already remarked before, an oecological problem cannot be 

 solved by indiscriminately collecting some plants. Accurate obser- 

 vations and experiments by clever and well-trained botanists are 

 needed. As regards Krakatao such observations and experiments 

 are as yet entirely lacking. 



E. Dr. W. Docters van I.eeuwen, I he Vegetation of the Island of Sebesy, 

 situated in the Sunda-Strait, near the Islands of the Krakatau-group; in the 

 year 1921, in Ann. |ard- Hot. Buitenzorg XXXII (1923), p. 135 seq. 



In this paper Mr. Docters van Leeuwen gives the botanical 

 results of a trip made by him in April 1921 to Sebesy, an 

 island about the size of Krakatao and lying 19'/2 km. to 

 the north of it. It is 43 km. distant from the nearest point of 

 )ava. Its vegetation suffered heavily from the eruption of 1883 

 but much less than that of Krakatao. 



The results of this trip are of not the slightest importance 

 for the solution of the problem of the revegetation of Krakatao 

 and will therefore be passed over here. But in his paper 

 Mr. Docters van Leeuwen gives some additional data on 

 his trips to Krakatao. Of these data I give beneath a recapitul- 

 ation paragraphed by me in order to facilitate discussion. Here 

 again I adhere to the original English text as closely as possible. 



?S I. We are now fairly well informed as to the restoration of the flora of Krakatao. 

 Considering the rich flora which now exists at Krakatao it has sometimes 

 been doubted whether all vegetable life had been killed by the eruption, thus 

 questioning the reports of the first investigators such as Verbeek and Treub 

 and also of Van Sa n di c k l ). As an instance is given the occurrence of a 

 big Cycas-plant which was found on the excursion described by Ernst, for 

 it was supposed that the growth of Cycas-plants was slow. But as a proof 

 to the contrary Mr. Docters van Leeuwen cites the occurrence of the 

 two Cycas-plants discussed already on p. 217. 



On this paragraph but little need be said. Of the manner of 

 restoration of the flora of Krakatao we know next to nothing as was 

 already sufficiently expounded in the preceding chapters. The papers 

 of Verbeek and Treub were already discussed in Chapters III 

 and IV. I was not able to consult the book of Mr. Van Sandick 

 (who was a retired chief engineer) but judging from its title (,,In the 

 ,,domain of Vulcanus") it is a popular work not claiming scientific 

 authority. I do not know whether Mr. Van Sandick has ever 

 ascended the cone of Krakatao, nor does this matter much as it 



R. A. Van Sandick, In het Rijk van VUkaan. Zutfen 1890 (or 1891 7), p. 186, 



