448 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
[Jan. I, 1898 . 
Scheffer died, of overwork, iu the beginning of 1880, 
only 36 years old. 
Dr. Treub was selected as his successor. This 
gentleman, who has been in charge since 1880, still 
continues the extensions begun in 1876 by Dr. bchefier. 
The institution still called ‘‘ ’s Lands Plantentuiu ” 
consists of the following nine Divisions; — 
Division I. 
„ II. 
III. 
IV. 
V. 
VI. 
VII. 
VIII. 
IX. 
Herbarium and Museum. 
Botanical Laboratories. 
Agricultural and experimental garden 
(181 acres) with Laboratoy for agri- 
cultural chemistry. 
Pharmacological Laboratory. 
Botanic Garden (145 acres) and Mountain 
Garden (77 acres and 700 acres of 
virgin forest) with Laboratory. 
Office, Library and Photographic Labor- 
atory. 
Forest flora collections. 
Laboratory for the study of Deli To- 
bacco.* 
Ex)perimental station for coffee. f 
The second division has special laboratory accom- 
modation for 8 foreign visitors, the institution acting,' 
since 1885, also as an international botanical station 
that has already been visited by a great number of 
foreign naturalists. 
It is hardly necessary to point out that the name 
of ‘‘Botanic Garden,” does not give a fair idea of 
■what the “ Buitenzorg Institution ” actually is. "What 
is now the 5th division, corresponds, in general lines, 
with what was ‘‘the Botanic Gardens” till 1876. 
In Dutch the difdoulty arising from a no longer- 
appropriate name, is partially avoided by keeping 
for the whole institution the original name “ ’s Lands 
Plantentuiu ” and giving the name “ Botanische 
tuin”t to the Botanic Garden belonging to the 5th 
division. 
The Buitenzorg institution is working now with a 
staff of 27 Europeans, and over 200 natives. 
The iiuinense e.xtent and variety of the Java 
Gardens must at once strike the reader ; but 
still more conspicuous is the scientific as well as 
the practical enterprise of the Dutch Government 
in the staff of ‘27 Europeans and 200 natives 
attached to tlie Buitenzorg institution. It is 
useless to compare this with the three Euro- 
peans and handful of coolies given to the Gardens 
in Ceylon ; but we believe it may be compared (to 
the advantage of Java rather than India) with 
what the Government of India does for the 
opposite Continent in tliis department. Ceylon 
ought at least to have a scientilic staff of half a- 
dozen Europeans — —Director and Assistants, En- 
tomologist, Cryptogamist, Analyst, &c. 
THE “DURIAN” AS A NEW PRODUCT. 
Now that tea prices are low, exchange high, 
cacao attacked in some places by a fungus disease, 
and perhaps other adversities looming before us,— 
the question of “ New Products ” is again being 
freely mooted by planters, and among other 
resources, at such a time, the durian as a fruit- 
tree may well claim our attention. 
Emit culture in Ceylon as a profitable industry, 
as well as for local consumption, has been fre- 
quently discussed iu the columns of the Tropical 
Agriculturist, but notwitlistaudingit is still looked 
uijou only as a prospective venture. The obstacles 
that lie ' iu the way of such an undertaking 
are not all imaginary, it is true. The prospects of 
a local market are not sufficiently encouraging, 
and the variety of really good fruits Uiat have so 
* The divisions VIII and IX work at the expenses 
of private committees of persons interested in the 
culture of Deli tobacco aud of coffee. 
•jj The Dutch word “tuin” means gardens. 
far been found suited to our climate and soil is 
somewhat limited. Orange and lemon cultivation 
has not made the strides that were predicied some 
years ago ; neither have pineap)ffes and plantains 
yet tempted cultivation on any considerable scale. 
The raangosteen and avocado-pear have not been 
entirely overlooked ; but the durian .so far is 
somewhat of a rara avis with us. Observant visitors 
to our sliores are quick to observe that if we are 
fruges consuracrc nati, our choice of local ly-grown 
table fruit can hardly he said to redound to the 
credit of the planters whose reputation as the 
best agriculturists iu the tropics has travelled so 
widely. 
Although the durian (Duiio zibethinus) may in 
one way or another be known to manj’ of us, yet the 
opportunities of becoming acquainted with it in 
Ceylon are very few. This is much to be won- 
dered at considering that in our ccmparatively 
near neighbourliood — the Malay Peninsula and 
islands— the tree is met with plentifully, both 
in its natural growth and in its cultivated state. 
Any one who has lived for any length of time in the 
countries mentioned must |)erforce he acquainted 
■with the name of durian, and probably also with its 
flavour. There all the natives are born durian- 
eaters ; even the dogs, cats, and tigers are said 
to be fond of it, and especially the civet cat, to 
entrap which it is often used as a bait : hence 
the specific name. 
The durian fruit to the Malayan inhahitants 
has many wouderlul attributes, however adversely 
its odour may be classihed by peo])le inclined to 
be delicate in tlie olfactory sense. Irrespective of 
drawbacks in this way — wliich in time may be 
considered trilling — the craving of tlie natives for tiie 
fruit is simply insatiable ; and, when in season, 
many families, not content with tlie local supply, 
remove from tlieir homes and llx their abode 
temporarily, in fact camping out, iu areas where the 
durian is found to be plentiful. One of the chief 
attractions of the fruit to them is the aphrodi- 
siacal properties which they invariably believe it 
to possess. That it is in a measure exciting is 
scientifically admitted. Europeans also; notwith- 
stanling tlie smell which is at liist rather offen- 
sive, (being likened unto putrefying rats com- 
bined with rotten onions !) soon come to regard 
the fruit with peculiar favour, and when once they 
acquire the necessary taste, which is usually after 
the third or fourth trial, it is said to replace all 
other delicacies in the way of fruit. In fact, it 
has been said that the sensation of eating durians 
is in itself worth coining to the East for ; and 
some writers on the subject describe it as being 
“ beyond question the finest fruit iu the world.” 
It might be supposed too that it is also some- 
what of a braiiitonic, for Governors of Ceylon— 
notably Sir Arthur Gordon, and others performing 
mental work of a responsible character — have 
declared that there is nothing to beat a good durian. 
The Dutch ladies in Java are credited with 
having developed a considerable liking for it, and 
to be reported “eating durians ” is often sufficient 
excuse for their non-appearance to visitors. A 
durian in general appearance is not unlike a small 
jak fruit, though of course differing widely in 
its natural affinities. The chief point of resem- 
blance between the jak and durian is found in 
tlie peculiar angularily-marked rind surface com- 
mon to both, and which in the latter forms 
a complete covering of stout spines or prickles. 
In both cases the fruit is borne on the older 
branches and trunk ; but this is also characteristic 
of very nia.ny other tropical trees. In shape, a 
