Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-04-18
I0CAL IKTELLlGENCE.

New Yorker April eth, in which he gives the
results of an experiment made by him, last year,
with the cultivation of sun flowers as prevent
I've of ague and fever. He says:
The dwelling of the Superintendent, Is au-
Joining the Observatory, which Is situated on
hill on the left bank Of the Potomac, In lat %
deg. % min, So sec. IL is 81 feet above the low
water of ebb tide, and about 400 yards from the
river The grounds pertaining to II contain about
II acres enclosed by a brick wall on the east.
south and west sides, with picket fence on the
north The south wall runs along nearly PARALLEL
with the river, and so does the west The CheS-
aneake and ohio Canal. fringed by single row
Of xycamores of some twenty years growth, sep
arates the wall from the river In fact the river,
with It's marshes at the foot OF the hill enciTcles
the grounds of the Observatory halfway round,
wiz from = T.. by way of :. to Y. w. Thus,
YOU perceive we are in sort Of bend In the river.
Most Of the marshes are just a wash al low wa
ter parts Of them are bare when the tide is oui !,
and all OF them. in the early summer, are covereH
with a rank growth of grass and weeds wiz
begin To decay in August. This Is the coniheHSse
,tes; yyalk ohout the grounds of the Observatory
after sunset has been found 10 p,inS 80 Hbe
strangers an attack OF the ague ana le'eI a,,,Ian
place Is unhealthy that my fanny eycDv rcar
ed to desert It for four or fye moI'n9 80 did
LAST wear they broke up early IN May anu uiu
not return till November. ~, a.. f,IIo,r;r,,
Then a process of reasoning ike TIC io4io"ins
led him 10 t-y the experiment;
II "a he tbe decay of the vegetable matter on
,bo ,,sbes that produces the sickness on the hill,
then the sickness must be OWING 10 Tue lous
effects of some gas, miasm or eInuVluin, tnat Is
at Zoe during the decomposition, and II so, the
poisonous matter, or the basis OF 1t, whatever II
- t. must have been elaborated during the growth
oT the weeds and set free in their decay. Now,
IN this reasoning be good, why might we not by
PLANTING other vegetable matter between US and
HE marshes and by bringing 1t into vigorous
growth lust about the time that that OF the
5n,rxhes begin TO decay, bring fresh force OF the
vegetable kingdom again to play upon this pol
so5ous matter and elaborate It again into vegeta-
bic tissue, and so purify the air.
- This reasoning he says, appeared pllusI-
ble enough to Justify the trouble and expense of
experiment and ! was encouraged to expect more
or less success from il, in the circumstance that
every body said, plant trees between you and
the nlarshes-they will keep of the chills.' But
as to the trees, il so happens that 1T the very time
when the decomposition on the marshes Is going
on most rapidly, tho trees for the most part have
stopped their growth TO prepare for the winter.
and though trees might do some good. yet rank
growth of something got up for the occasion
might do more. Hops climb high they are
good abSOFbents, and of i rank growth, but there
were objections to hops on account Of stakes,
poles, &c. | rCcolleCted that | had often seen
sun-hOwers growing about the cabins in the
West and had heard, in explanation, that II was
healthy TO have them. This was so much more
!n favor of making the experiment with sun
flowers.
their growth many thousand gallons OF water
more than are supplied by the rains. They are
great absoTbentS. They are of easy cultivation
are more rank than hops-they require no poles
and the seed arc very valuable. paid : bus hel
FOR them This plant, therefore, apparently Of
fered TO fulfill all the conditions required to sat-
isfy the problem; for if the supposition that the
ague and fever poison be impaired to the atmos-
phere by the decdying vegetable matter III the
marshes and if this poison wee set Tree during
the process of decay, why should not the sun
flowers in their rank growth absorb it, and again
elaborate il into vegetable matter and so fix II, at
least for a while. ard until cold weather? Icon
Sulfah fhi. Sffbiart with OF the most
ful men this country ever PiOduced-the late A
}. Downing, OF NewbHrgh,-and he thought the
idea n good one.
.'Finally, l resolved to make the experiment.
1t the risk OF spelling the looks of a beautiful
lawn. Accordingly, in the fall Of 1855, the gar
dener trenched up to the depth of two and half
1eeI belt about fOTty-fye feet broad around the
Observatory on the marshy side. and from $50 to
20 yaids from the buildings. The conditions Of
the theory was about 10 try required itch ground,
tall sunfowers and rank growth Accordingly,
after being well manfred from the stable ward,
The ground Was properly prepared and planted IN
auHfOweTs last spring. They grew finely; the
sickly season was expected with more than the
usual anxiety Finally 1t set iii, and there was
shaking at the Presidents House and other places
rs usual. but for the fist time since the ObseTva-
cory was built the watchmen about it weathe-ed
The summer clear Of chills and feye!s. These
5nen being most exposed 10 the night air, suffer
most and he etOfO:e two or three relays OF them
would be attacked during the season; for one
falls sick another Is employed in his place, who,
give way to fresh hand. And, last year, at
Jacks Of agEe and fever Were more than usually
prevalent in the neighboring parts of the city.
g Here il encouragement, not discovery or proof
but ii is worth further trial, at any late. Ac-
rOrdin,ly the gardener is making ready 10 try the
experiment again this year, but with variations
TiS seeds are not To be planted quite as early
- ia the fist instance; and. in the next
pace, there are 10 be two paintings, 30 that the
las: crop my be caught by the frost while vet
the plants towering, apd therefore, in full and
Vigorous growth during the season Of active decay
IN the marshes
Suppose the fact should DE established that a
hedge OF sunhowers between the dwellings of
farmers and the ponds marshes and standing
pools would generally keep ague and fever away,
the discovery that such simple continuance
would constitute an impossible barrier To the
Pestilence that walketh in darkness would be an
achievement worth recording"
Lieut.. NJ. adds in postscript that after writing
the foregoing he had conversation with Mr.
w at. the public gardener, who informs him that
many years ago similar experiments were made
IN France with like success.
FIRE IN TODD's BUILDING.-Abouti O'Clock
yesterday afternoon, some people discovered an
unusual amount Of smoke issuing from the north
chimney Of Browns Hotel 4 number of citizens
sPrang TO ascertain the cause of this of this when
10 the Consideration Of all parties the smoke was
seen 10 be coming in thick clouds from the room
IA the second story, occupied rs the office of the
view Ofk Associated Press Mr. Barnard of
That association was promptly on hand and on
breaking open the door, found that the floor of the
lnner ONCE was burning, having caught from the
Joint rue IN the chimney. Just az the point where
The nOo:lng came in contact with the hue b-ick
was discovered % have been left out by the b:ick
mason. The floor was chaTred at a considerable
distdnee from the fue. and but for its timely dis
CoHery ard the prompt assistance of our citizens
tLc "hoIe square might now be i ruin Certainly
u The IRE had occurred in the night time, (no one
Sleeping there ID would not have been discovered
ut'il too late 10 save the buildings. As Il was
thr position WIS periiOus one; the fire having ex-
tended under the flooring, from whence il was
routed with no little difficulty. Several fire
companies came to the ground in season TO be Of
material service
United STATES Police REPORTS Bel fore
Ja'i'es DOHH.-Frances Wise, Mary Wise, and
susan Wise; all colored, were arrested by Officer
Bayiess for committing an assault and battery on
8sI naei Johnson, also cOlO1ed After an investi-
JRj0E OF the case. FiaEceS and Susan Were re-
d 1g>szd to give bond to appear at the Criminal
. COnS'- AID Mary and the pTOSec uting witness
wele5"dDd owe! to keep the peace towards each