The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1873-12-27
THE EUCALYPTUS TREE.
\ Tree That Destroys Malaria.
IErnm Tho london Telcgranh.l

From the London Telegraph
At the last meeting Of the French Academy
OF Science 4 very interesting paper was read
by NJ. Gimbert lis subject was the alleged
tcbrtugal properties OF the Australian tree,
EUCALYPTUS glObuus, which is said to have
the curious and valuable power Of destroying
the malarous element III any atmosphere
where ii grows. The species IN question Is
one of that family indigenous to New south
Wales, which the COlOnlstS call gum trees
They shoot up very quickly and 10 an enor-
nous height, some OF them reaching 100 feet,
with It gilth OF from twenty i've to forty. The
sparse and strangely twisted foliage grows in
a thin crown at the top of the pIllar-like stem,
but the characteristic Of the whole genus is
the rapid habit of increase, seen equally in
the Iron bark" the blue gum" and this
particular specimen the eucalyptus globuluS,
The tree in question absOrbs an immense
deal OF water from the earth, and at the same
time cmits an aromatic odOr, which has per
hups something G do with the benCtlCiall ntlu.
cnCc attributed to it. Where it is thickly
planted in marshv tracts the subSOil is said
to be drained in Il little while as though by
extensive piping Mlasma ceases, we are
told, wherever the eucalyptus tourshes. 1t
has been tried for this purpose at the Cape,
aud within two or three years has completely
changed the climatic condition of the un.
healthy parts of that colony. Somewhat lat.
er its plantation was undertaken on Il large
scale in various parts Algeria. Al a farm 20
miles from Alglcrs, situated on the banks Of
a river and noted for It's extremely pestilen-
tal air, about $1,000 eucalypu were planted.
In the same year, at the time when the fever
season used to set IN, not single case OC-
cured. yet the trees were not more than nine
= ,I,, ;t,
from fever has been maintained. In the
neighbOrhood Of Constantina,i il is also stated,
was another noted fever spot, covered with
marsh water both in winter and summer; in
five wears the whole ground was dried up by
1900 of these trees, and farmers and chill
dren enjoy excellent health. Throughout
Cuba marsh diseases are fast disappearing
from all the unhealthy districts where this
tree has been introduced, y StatiOn-house,
again, at one end of railway yladuCt in the
department of the Var was so Presidential
that the officials could not be kept there
longer than Il year; forty Of the trees were
planted, and it is now as healthy as any other
place on the line. Such are some of the facts
brought forward by NJ Gimbcrt. If they
are well established, it Hould be most desr-
able to try whether the eucalyptus would
thrive on the west coast of Africa, and other
malarious districts of the warmer ATTITUDES.
Ii Is affirmed that the suntlower possesses
similar capacity to dry up the subSol and
miasma. Nor shoId botanStS ne
glect these suggestions. There are more
wonders yet in the vegetable world than are
dreamed of in their philosophy, How passing
strange, for example, is that property Of the
tree to turn meat tender! \ joint of
mutton, stepped in solution of its juice, be
comes instantly succulent and the flesh of
animals fed upon it. leaves "melts in the
mouth" upon cooking.