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Vol. XVII.] COLOMBO, JANUARY ist, 1898. [No. 7 . 
BUITENZORG BOTANICAL GARDENS, 
JAVA: 
A LESSON TO INDIA AND CEYLON. 
E have to acknowledge re- 
ceipt of copies of “Hand- 
Guide to the Botanic 
Gardens, Buitenzorg with a 
plan published under super- 
vision of the Director in 
Batavia, by G. Kolfif & Co., 
1897” — all printed in English 
and all very interesting. It includes besides the 
“introduction,” a walk through the Botanic 
Gardens ; a visit to the Agricultural and Experi- 
niental Gardens (which we must copy in full 
into our next Tropical Agriculturist')', and “an 
index of scientific and vernacular names.” 
The Guide is clearly modelled on the one drawn 
up for Peradeniya by the late Dr. Trimen ; but 
the Java Gardens are far more diversified — al- 
though the Buitenzorg Botanic Garden itself at 
145 acres is almost exactly the same area as 
Peradeniya which includes 150 acres. The Dutch 
Director has, however, a virgin forest reserve of 
700 acres, as may be seen later on. Meantime 
we transfer the introduction as follows ; — 
The Botanic Gardens at Buitenzorg were established 
in April 1817, at the suggestion of Reinwardt, who 
was afterwards a Professor at the Leiden University. 
During Reinwardt’s stay in Netherlands-India there 
was no special director for the new botanical establish- 
ment, he took over the superintendence himself. On 
his departure from Java Dr. C. L. Blnme was ap- 
pointed the first Director of the Buitenzorg gardens. 
Blume proved to have remarkable abilities for 
natural science ; in a short time he got great renown 
as a botanist and so the gardens seemed to have 
under his direction, a very satisfactory prospect. 
But, after a stay of four years, Blume was obliged 
to go home on account of his bad health ; there 
was no director appointed as his successor, the 
gardens were left in charge of a curator. 
The curator James Hooper, an able man, who 
came originally from the Royal Kew-gardens, returned 
to Europe in 1830. A young gardener just arrived 
with a new Governor-General was selected as hit 
successor. 
The young man’s name was J. E. Teysmann ; 
devoid of the slightest scientific notions, lacking even 
ordinary general instruction, and having had but a 
very superficial training in horticulture, he seemed 
rather an unqualified person for filling up the post 
of curator. Happily the Buitenzorg gardens belong 
to the institutions which have good luck. Teysmann 
turned out to be a most energetic man, with a bright 
intelligence and greatly gifted for natural science. 
By self-training and hard work, guided by a clear 
insight and supported by a keen aptitude for organi- 
zation, he became, in fact, a second founder of the 
gardens, with which his name will always be in- 
separably connected. 
Ib the course of his career as a curator Teysmann 
was assisted by two very clever men, J. I.. Hasskarl, 
and S. Binnendyk. Hasskarl, afterwards famous as a 
botanist, was the man who suggested a new plan for 
the gardens, in order to have all the plants, even 
the trees and shrubs arranged after the natural 
system. That idea, once grasped by Teysmann, was 
pushed by him, often under great difficulties, with 
fierce energy. The arrangement after the natural 
system, in some parts already sixty years old, cons- 
titutes now one of the prominent features of the 
Buitenzorg botanic garden. It makes it still com- 
par’tively easy to study the plants and especially to 
compare the species belonging to the same natural 
orderj though the number of species under cultiva- 
tion 18 now some 10,000, covering an area of 145 
acres. 
Binnendyk was appointed assistant-curator in 1858. 
His services were of great value, not only because 
he was a very able horticulturist, but also because 
he had had a fair training in systematic botany at 
the Leyden botanic garden. And so as Teysmomi 
resigned (in 1869) Binnendyk was of course, seleot.ed 
as his successor. 
In the mean time the whole institution was re- 
organized, on a plan drawn up long before by 
Teysmann. 
There was to be a Director again, and it was 
Dr. R. H. O. O. Scheffer who in 1868 was apppointed 
the second Director of the Buitenzorg gard ns. 
Having made thorough studies in botany under 
Miquel’s direction at the Utrecht University Dr. 
Scheffer although young, was well prepared for the 
post. Devoting as much of his time as possible to 
research and original scientific work, he had the good 
idea of starting in 1875, the Annales du Jardin 
Botanigue de Buitenzorg, a scientific periodical still 
existing. Beyond all other things the Buitenzorg es. 
tabliihment is most indebted to the late Dr. Scheffer, 
for establishing, in 1876, a special garden, on a large 
scale (an area of more than 180 acres) for agricultural 
and experimental purposes. He added also an agri- 
cultural school to this experimental garden. This 
school lasted only a few years. Without time to go 
OD forlongb to Europe to restore bis health. Dr. 
