Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1857-05-01

SUNFLOWERS A PREVENTIVE OF AGUE'
Lieutenant Maury, in an article communicated td
the Rural New Yorker, maintains that the growing
of sunAowers around dwelling located near fever
and ague region, neutrsizes the miasms in which
that disease originates and seems to support tibet
DRY by successful experiment. He was led to make the
experiment by the following circumstances: The
dwelling of the superintendent of the observatory at
Washington is situated on bill on the left bank
of the Potomac in lat 1872 So So. II is ninety four
feet above low water mark, and about four
hundred yards from the river. The grounds
pertaining to it, about II acres, enclosed by "
wall on the east, south and west, and with picket
fence on the north. The south and west wails run
parallel with the river the Chesapeake and Ohio ca
ma, and row of sycam0res, OF some twenty years
growth, separating the wall from the river. In fact
the river with its Marshes encircles about halt OF
the grounds. The house u.s. therefore, in the bend OF the
river and the place is so unhealthy that the family Of
the SUPERINTENDENT are compelled to yacate 1t five
months out Of the twelve, the marshes being covered
with a rank growth of grass and weeds which begin
to decay early in August. knowledge OF THESE
facts led Lieut. Msury's mind 10 the following pro-
cess of reasoning.
"f il be the decay OF the vegetable matter on the
marshes that produces the sickness on the hill men
the sickness must be owing to the deeterous eHects
of some gas miasms or efluvium, that Is SET Tree
during the decomposition. and 1t so, the poisonous
matter, or the basis of it, whatever be- must have
been elaborated during the growth OF the weeds, ana
set free in their decay. Now 1t this reasoning De
good, why might We not, by planting other VeSe,a'
BILE matter between us and the marshes, anu ny
bringing it into vigorous growth JUST ABOUT Tue !lue
that that of the marshes begins TO decay, bring resn
forces of the vegetable kingdom again to pay upon
this poisonous matter, and elaborate 1t again into
vegetable tissue and so purify the air
"This reasoning appeared plausible enough 10 lusli.
fy the trouble and expense of experiment and was
70 or II,
the circumstance that every body said, .pant trees
between you and the marshes-they will keep on tDe
chils' But as to the trees, it 30 happens thst al
the very time when the decomposition on Tue
marshes is going on most rapidly, the trees for the
most part have stopped their growth TO prepare tor
the winter and though trees might do some good, yet
a rank growth OF something got up tor the occasion
might do more. Hops climb high they are good
absnrbents. and Of rank growth but there were oo
iscious to hops on account OF stakes, poles, &C..
recoected that had often seen suntowers growing
about the cabins in the West, and had heard, in eI
planaton, that il was "healtby" to have them This
was so much more IN favor VI MAKING tue eApeIr
Insnt with sunhowers"
Lieutenant Maury says that acre OF sunhowers
will absorb during their growth many thousand gal.
Ions OF water more than are supplied oy Inc rams
They are of easy cultivation, and the seeds, which are
very valuable 6ud ready market at the drug stores
The theory or science of the experiment III this-the
ague and fever poison is set free during the process OF
vegetable decay, which poison is absorbed by the
rank growing sunhower, again elaborated into vege.
table matter and retained until cold weather sets
in. The result of the experiment is thus narrated:
"Finslly, resolved to make the experiment at the
risk of spelling the looks of beautiful lawn. Ac-
curdnyly in the fall OF 1885, the gardener trenched up
To the depth feet belt about 40 feet broad around
the Observator on the marshy side and from laO to
2D0 yards from the buildings. The conditions OF the
theory was about to try required rich ground, tall
suntiowers and rank growth. Accordingly, after be-
ing we'll MANFRED from the stable yard the
ground was properly prepared and planted in sun
flowers last spring. They grew finely; the sickly
season was expected with more than usual anxiety
Finally it Set in and there was shaking at the
Presidents House and other places as usual but tor
the frat time since the observatory was built the
watchmen about it weathered the summer clear CT
chis and f.vers. These men, being most exposed 10
the night air. suffer most, and heretofore two or three
relays of them would be attacked during the season
for as one falls sick another is employed in his place,
who in turn being attacked, would i'll like manner
give way to fresh baud. And last year attacks OF
ague aud fever were more than usually prevalent IN
the neighboring parts Of the city,"
During the present year Lieutenant Maury intends
to repeat the experiment, with variation in two re.
spects. First the seeds to be planted later and
second there are be two paintings, that the last
crop may be caught by the frost while yet in flower.
If a second trial the result proves equally faVora.
BILE the practical benefit Of the discovery will be great
indeed, and Lieutenant Maury will have added au.
other 10 the evidences he has given that true science
is the handmade of practical utility.