The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-12-29
lF7aa, The New l"rk W'r'd'l
,.,,>ptus. or Ecrcr-TrGC.

w., have the p'casurc Of presenting 10 our
49,. the following very interesting 'ho
'''.'.,,~,,vc letter from Mr. Frederick Law
''.,,..rd thc eminent landscape archi'cc1 10
'''' ,"',, rho civ is indebted tor the beauty OF
w., ,nn,r,,I Park. in reply 10 note ao-
al IN him making inquiry cohccrhahS
g. ,,',,ly,,in> tree. of which ii Is alleged
:, ,,r4ntatiaUs Of it destroy malaria:
'"'' 900 wvSr Forty -SlNTH STREET,
Dccc:nbcr l6. 1918.
~, Dear Sir.-I reply with pleasure to
.,I: rntr Of the llth Instant.
l'y,.rl species OF the EucaIyptuS-ihc
t.,,rn. arIonc thcm-havc been raised
-.,r, w., seed presented to the park commlS-
'.-,,'' ..,,,.r, and have been used i'll the summer
,.',r,,,on Of the city parks. They have,
.a,yrr. always been kept under glass IN
49, winter. - that no knowledge has been
'..ra3 a> 70 their hardness in this climate.
!. :. ,,s.ihtc. though hardly probable, that
.N..,. wcull crow here if exposed. Ihcf
a..,i>h IN the south Of France. Italy. me
,...,nf3. Algeria, and the West indleS. III
,.s,n-u:a also. under a wide range OF con-
,:.rrap>. have seen them sprlnkicd WIN
,,.,y and hung for shor. time III The morn
M, with icic!cs. Apparently they gro" al
,,.r.r equally wei! in dry and III moist sltua-
.:.,,,. Tlcy are probably about as hardy rs
~. liz. some Of the species perhaps more so.
They might hc tried with some confidence
.~yWArrc south OF PhiladeIphn, ana WITH
.r.irr confidence south OF Rlcnmonu'
The statements Of The article "hlcn you
so.ao>,, and which herewith return, III re-
,,;ri ,n tie effect Of dense plantations OF the
Fn,.,I, plus in ahating lnaariou> influences
49, entirely credible. but it is unnecessary
y. h,-r-
..,u.i.>iou Of anti>eptic clnlphorouS etllu-
y+.r The influence of all trees on climate
mi health through their drainage OF the
III simply is much greater than is popu-
.,..y recognized. Careful experiments OF
p.',,nkofcr with an old spreading oak in
,..n3rk at Munich led TO the conclusion
,a,, the discharge Of water through its
ave. durin. the summer was eight and
,,fr t;lu..- greater than the amount Of water
,g,f.is. IN rain during the same period upon
,aa ,,round covered 10y lis branches. The
drainage, clirc. Of a young and rapidly grow
r.., tree. cs!"cialiy under conditions OF
ii.i,cr temperature of the air, would be
,.unl greater prnpO!tionately to lis extent
ID. len. surface.
swamp j, a basin in which water col
a.,> from surrounding higher ground.
A".r lcaIy rains there may be an overflow
IRON, il, and certain qulntity of water per
~,y,, ,,Lain. determined by the depth OF the
i.,.g. This water being stagnant. the soil
r,a,..aius dccayin- vegetable matter, at 4
.r.aIu Temp. nature the conditions are cStab-
N,l.d uId,r ~hicl the poison called lna-
llsu : di."M.a-cG and Carried by winds 70
-. adjoining highlands. You will readily
.",. that rip>,-pantation of young. lapiu'y-
..ruwir. tree, wouii draw up and discharge
.a-Inl,e,>ly into ttil air nil the water Whlch
~oUld IL. wiiiIin 4 certain distance ol tae
>ljrt,rc: that they would iurthcract 70 delay
..a-,ultian Of the water in the superficial
,.s.,!n o! soil again by maintaining, by the
::r,f Of their shade. q lower temperature OF
Iii. stratum : that this effect would be ln-
,,..rd i,; the great evaporation constantly
.,,sr,. on Al their leaves: and that after all,
through their action - a screen or Selfe, any
malaria that might be di>cngagcd would De
!uca. >s likely 10 be spread abroad. An!
rIut, or rapid growth would have all these
rri"c.s-lhe Suntlowcr, the aianthuS, tEe
pride OF China, OF the willows. The average
growth Q! the several species OF eucalyptus
which have been introduced IN Calliorhla
uI.ing >ly months Of summer, even IN COOL
.tul;Ion> aud on poor ana dry sou, IS more
r.pi taln that Of any of these, and IN tins.
IUa-iae. consists principally II not altogether
Any advantage il !nay have.
Il should hc known that the effects OF re-
moving & large n.mber of trees has ire
cucutiy been 10 cause very vlru!ent form
si na.rial disease to break out where 1t was
before unknown. Augusta, Ga, furnishes
uarked instance OF this, but examples are
uot wanting in the immediate vicinity OF
New York. The disappearance of fever and
sgge soon after the springiug up of dense
srowth Of young trees has also been noticed
in various localities.
Proper provision for thrifty growth OF
cannon trees along the principal avenues OF
New York would, ~ DR.. Stephen Smith has
Observed, besides saving many sunstrokes,
add apprcciably to the wealth OF the clty
tncaagh the increased capacity for work
which would follow both to horses ana 10
mrn and women. Trees crsmped and starved
st the root, as are most OF those now seen IN
lac city, are Of little value.
Yours, very truly,
FRED. Law OLISTBD.
L.