Limbe Botanic Garden significant person Paul Rudolph Preuss
History
The garden was created in 1892 by a German team led by Paul Rudolph Preuss. Originally, it was a trial garden, a centre for experimentation and acclimatisation of useful tropical species, such as rubber, coffee, cocoa, oil palm, banana, teak, and sugar cane, destined for Kamerun and other German colonies. In its heyday, it was considered one of the most important tropical botanical gardens in the world.In 1920 the British took over the garden in collaboration with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, which provided advice and training. After their departure in 1932 and until 1958, the garden was administered directly by Cameroonian staff, then, in the wake of independence, in 1961, it was taken over by the Government.In 1988 a partnership concluded with the United Kingdom allowed its renovation and development. Originally intended for agriculture, the botanical garden is now oriented towards conservation, education, science, tourism and leisure.Today the garden, which originally covered 250 hectares (620 acres), has no more than 48 hectares (120 acres). Some buildings, the laboratory and library - have for some time been transformed into a hospital. There is now a luxury hotel there.
Stereoscopic views of the garden in 1904from 1892 to 1902: Paul Rudolph Preuss,
from 1906 to 1907: August Weberbauer,
from 1927 to 1932: Thomas Douglas MaitlandHubert Winkler worked there in 1904–1905, and Carl Ludwig Ledermann in 1908.