The Correspondence of Caspar Georg Carl Reinwardt - DWC - KNAW

Van Heiningen / 44
E. On the altitude and composition of the mountains in the ‘Preanger
Regencies’
[Paper, read in a meeting of the ‘Bataviaasch Genootschap van Kunsten en
Wetenschappen’, held in Batavia]
De Vriese blows the trumpet of this most interesting document, in which
Reinwardt has demonstrated a new method of determining the heights of
mountains, which is different from the methods, applied until then. In De
Vriese’s view, the new approach was based on the use of a barometer. The
determinations, carried out by Reinwardt produced more reliable results,
than former ‘measurements’ had done. The essential of Von Humboldt’s
method – based on the assumption of a linear decrease of the air temperature,
when climbing a mountain slope, combined with a linear decrease of
the atmospheric pressure – seemed to be a reliable foundation of these
measurements. Reinwardt has carried out many of these determinations
in the various mountain regions of the Dutch East Indies. In this way he
has been able to determine the probable heights. Reinwardt used both
Dutch and English barometers. In his lecture he also paid attention to the
relation between the condition of the atmosphere and the vegetation of the
mountain slopes. (De Vriese, 210-213)
F. On the Areng sugar and the Areng palm
[Part of a lecture, delivered at the occasion of a meeting of the ‘Genootschap voor
Kruidkunde en Landbouw’ (‘Botanical and Agricultural Society of Utrecht’).
Reinwardt has dealt with a similar subject during a meeting of the ‘Eerste Klasse’ of
the ‘KNI’ (‘Royal Netherlands Institute of Science, Literature and Arts’, Amsterdam)
The Javanese sugar tree (Arenga saccharifera, Gomutus, Saquerus Rumphii,
or Saqueer) is growing on the islands of the East Indian archipelago,
especially in eastern Java and on the Moluccas.After the sap, extracted from
these palms, has been boiled, it changes into a thickening paste, which finally
turns into a solid mass. This substance is called ‘Javanese sugar’. Reinwardt
extensively describes the way in which the natives are producing their sugar
from these ‘breads’. Only simple tools are needed. During the course of the
drying process the colour of this substance finally turns into deep brown.
Areng sugar is much cheaper than cane sugar is. Unfortunately it is very