The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-12-20
Effects Of Vegetation In Cities.

1t ia we'll known that trees absorb car
bonic acid gas and give off oxygen, the
first as injurious as the last is indespen-
sable to animal life. Men and animals, on
the contrary, absorb oxygen and give
out large quantities of caroonic acid gas.
When, therefore, we consider the immense
amount of this gas given off from the lungs
of the observation-disclosures and brnte-of a
large city, and the immense amount pro-
duced by the combustion of the fuel used
in dwellings, factories aud workshops, we
may form some idea of the enormous viii
alton of the atmosphere thus produced.
Those who have given attention to the sub
ject estimate that it requires more than
by every three inhabitants. According to
this, q city of GOO, 900 inhabitants would re-
auire 400, 900 acres of vegetation to take up
the carbonc acid and other deleterious
gases given off by it's people. If it we're
not for the action of the wind in removing
lions from the city and replacing it with a
purer atmosphere from the surrounding
country the city would soon become uninba-
bitable; but the winds have not such full
| sweep over cities, owing to the height of
the buildings and other causes, as to thor
| oughly cleanse the atmosphere oroodlng
| over them. Hence the necessity of en-
| couraging the growth of as much vegeta-
| ton as possible within the limits of the
| cities themselves. So nearly exact Is this
estimate that we may regard it as demon
strating the necessity of large parks and
squares in cities. But, through the growth
of the city, land becomes too valuable to
provide sufficient area of parks and
| squares for such purposes. Resort must,
| therefore, be had to streets themselves
and hence all streets not devoted to COM
mercial purposes should be planted with
continuous rows of trees on either SIDE.
Paris has now so large number of parks,
and it's streets and bouievards are so pro-
fusely planted with trees that, according to
| very reasonable estimates, the death rate
has been thereby reduced from ! in "a, as
it formerly was, to in 80, as it now is.
Added to the beneficial effects produced
| by these trees in the absorption of deleter-
ious gases, is the shading of cutters and
roadways, which materially retards and
| prevents the action of the sun in prod uciDg
noxious fermentation. The roots of the
trees take up large quantities of such mat
ters as are washed by the rains into the in
terstices of the pavements. In addition to
these sanitary effects are the comforts de-
rived from the shade of sidewalks. 1t ie
the glare of the sun upon these, when
unprotected, which, during the tropical
heat of summer, gives such an oven
like atmosphere to our streets and causes
80 many cases of exhaustion from heat
and the often fatal sunstroke. Last,
though not least, the beauty of oul
cities would be greatly enhanced by
this tree planting and walking in the
streets during the hotter parts of the day
would be made less wearying than it now
is. In none of the cities of the United
States has proper consideration been giver
by the authorities to this simple and moi
costly means of adding to the general com
fort and health. Tomkins Square, in New
York City, is an instance on the Other
, hand of downright ignorance and stupidit,
in this respect. Situated in the most dense
} ly populated portion of the city surround
/ ed by tenements filed to repletion with ar
, tisans whose labors are carried on in thei
: own rooms OF in the close and confined at
3 mosphere of neighboring factories, it ha
been almost entirely denuded of trees ant
and it's surface covered with cemen
= pavement, which, on hot Summers day
, evolves degree of heat only surpassed
l by the furnace spoken of in the book o
r Daniel.