Johann Jacob Smith ( 1867 - 1947 )

Horticulturist -turned -botanist is the title we might apply to Johann Jaccob Smith, because a life-long interest in orchids led him to a serious taxonomic study of that plant family . His introductions and descriptions of Eastern orchids, plus his contributions to orchid literature , are surely justification for his being given a place of honor in the cultural history of orchids.

Born at Antwerp ,Belgium , on 29 July 1867,Smith showed an early inclination toward natural history,which was encouraged by his aunt . His leisure time included activities of his sort- growing and sketching plants , tending animals (particularly mice ), and making an aquarium and terrarium . At ten years of age he had already begun the formation of private herbarium . His secondary education was obtained at the Higher Burger School in Amsterdam , where his talents were recognized by his teacher ,Dr. J.C. Costerus , who advised him to take up the study of horticulture . There was no horticultural college that time , so Smith entered the nurseries of Messrs. Groenewegen & Co . of Amsterdam. While working there he became interested in abnormal plant forms. For his own amusement he busied himself with sketching the species that came into bloom at the eastablishment .

Next came a year of service at Kew and two years at Brussels, first at the Linden orchid nursery and later at the Botanic Garden . Meanwhile , as his interest in plants grew, the commercial aspects of horticultural became less to his preference. At this time Dr. Costerus influenced Smith into going to the Dutch East Indies where ,in 1891,he became an inspector on a coffee plantation . The lureof the virgin jungle adjacent to the plantation interested him more than coffee growing , and at the first opportunity he vacated his position . This opportunity was in the form of an invitation from professor Treub, director of the Buitenzorg Botanic Gardens , to go there and serve as a temporary horticulturist while the curator was on a leave of abosence in Holland . Upon the return of the curator , the position of chief gardener of the moutain gardens at Tjibodas was offered to smith .Fate decreeed otherwise, however , for the assistant curator became ill and died on the return trip to Holland ; Smith became his successor. For nearly thirty -three years thereafter he was associated in various capacities with that institution .

All the while he became further absorbed with the Orchid.family and scientific questions attracted him more and more . At that time there was no one sufficiently knowledgeable to be of assistance ; consequently , he described and illustrated many species himself . His field experience was broadened by a trip to the Moluccas in 1900 ; this aided in the groundwork of some of his later work .

In 1902 Smith went to Europe on a leave of absence , during which time he assembled the data for an orchid flora of Java for Dr. Treub, to be published in 1905. Upon his return to Buitenzorg he was offered a vacant position in the herbarium ,which he accepted.

By 1910 Smith's contributions to science were prominently recognized and the University of Utrecht awarded him an honorary Ph.D. In 1913 he succeeded Dr. Valeton, taking over as chief of the Buitenzorg Herbarium , finally becoming acting director of the government Botanic Garden in 1922.

Influenced byill health ,Smith retired and returned to Holland , where he made his home at Hilversume ,then at Utrecht -in close contact with the University of Utrecht Herbarium-and , finally , at Oegstgeest near Leyden,where he could work at his leisure in the National Herbarium at Leyden. As his health progressively declined , he necessarily stayed much at home ,where he devoted his time and energies to his Icones Orchidacearum Malayensium . He also wrote articles and papers for the Bulletin du Jardin Botanique de Buitenzorg, in which he described numerous new speceis and added data to many previously described .Also from his pen came the eight -volume work on the orchids of Dutch New Guinea. His Artificial Key to the Orchid Genera of the Netherland Indies , together with those of New Guinea ,the Malay Peninsula and the philipphines was published in Blumea . Orchid floras of Java , Sumatra, Amboina , and other areas followed ,and an article entitled " Sarcanthus Lindl. und die Nachstverwadten Gattungen " was published in Natuurkundig Tijdschrift voor Ned . Indie , in which he clarified and segregated the genera bordering the genus Sarcanthus.

Smith's relaxation at home was in his garden .His small greenhouse was filled with orchids sent to him by friends all over the world , and this collection was the center of his interest .During the German occupation of Holland during World War II, lack of fuel prevented the heating of the greenhouse and regrettably , he was forced to part with his collection .

On 14 January 1947, in his eightieth year, Smith died , his eminence as an authority on Eastern orchids remaining secure in the history of orchid achievements.

References

Orchid Review,The . 1934.Notes .Vol. 42. no. 495.

Schweinfurth ,Charles . 1947. A Great Orchidologist Passes .Amer. Orch. Soc.Bull.16. no. 3.

van Steenis ,C.G.G.J. 1950 .Cyclopaedia of Collectors .Flora Malesiana . Vol. 1,ser. 1.