The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-05-29
THE EUCALYPTUS TREE.
Its Peculiar Properties and Advan-
Remarkable Absorption of
Malaria.


tained principally from Messrs. Sontag
4 Co., of San Francisco, who have given
much attention TO its cultivation: "The
eucalyptus is favorably known to all res
idents of California, where probably not
less than 100000 trees are planted. In
this city, in front of handsome resi-
dences. you will find it with its magnif-
cent dropping branches, making an ef
fective and graceful shade-tree. In
Oakland, the broad avenues are lined
with them, eucalyptus forests are plant
ed in The country surrounding Oakland,
and, in fact, in every county of this
State where the cold winter will permit
it TO live, the eucalyptus will be found
growing. The wonderful properties of
this tree have only within the past few
years been discovered and appreciated.
1t is justly claimed that when the tree
| finurishes in low. -rershy, and feverish
districts, all miasma will cease. Il de
stroys the malarial element in any at
mosphere where it grows, and is great
absorbent of moisture, draining the sub
soil, almost as thoroughly as regular
system of piping. The eucalyptus is
an evergreen, and is found in its native
country (Tasmania) in boundless for
ests; both on the hillside and in the low
lands, under extremes of climates, both
as to heat and cold, ranging from $50
deg. to 20 deg. Fahrenheit. Whether
it will endure a greater degree of cold
we think has as vet been undetermined.
It is, however, worthy a trial. Its re-
markably rapid growth is a matter Of
much surprise, attaining, as it does, a
maximum height of about 800 feet, with
circumference of from thirty to fifty
ingIy useful, being hard and easily
worked, and very serviceable for such
purposes as the keels of vessels, bridges,
&c, where strength and durability are
essential. It is estimated that from S4,
100000 to S5,OOO,00O in value of this
timber is exported annually from Ans
tralia The leaves of this tree are of a
dark blush color, about ten inches long,
an inch wide, thin, and oddly twisted
They exhale a strong camphor-like
odor, quite agreeable and pleasant,
which, with the large absorption of wa
ter by the roots, causes the beneficial in
fuence of the tree. 1t bears small
white flower, having no odor. In con-
sequence of its anti-febrile qualities,
the English Government has planted it
extensively in the East Indies and Afri-
ca, in fever districts, with the most satis-
factory results. In France, Cuba, Spain,
| Mexico, and many other places where
malaria fever, ague, and other pestilen-
tial diseases prevailed, the eucalypti
have also been planted. The wonderful
properties of this tree have been discus
sed by many scientific institutions in
Europe. In the Academy of Sciences,
in this city, its medicinal and anti-Inias-
matte qualities have received consider
able attention. DIR. Pigne Dupuytren
testified before that academy of the vir-
tues of the eucalyptus, and stated that
he and DIR. D'Olivera had tested it in
the French Hospital. In the garden
surrounding this hospital a large num-
Der of the trees are planted for sanitary
purposes. It had been found efficacious
in the treatment of affection of the
larynx and of mucous membrane in
general. Experiments, carefully made,
have proved that in a medicinal
preparation it cures cases of intermittent
fever against which quinine alone proves
powerless. 1t is also valuable as a dis
infectant. In Algeria its cultivation
was undertaken on a large scale. Some
$1,000 eucalypti were planted in an ex-
tremely pestilential and unhealthy sec
tion, where fever prevailed to a great
extent every year. During the first year
of their growth, at the time when the
fever season used to set in, not a single
case of fever occurred, yet the trees were
. only nine feet high. Since then this
place is reported free from its unwel-
come visitations. In the vicinity Of
Constantinople, another fever spot
marshy and sickly, the whole ground
was dried up by $4,000 of these trees
In Cuba, marsh diseases are rapidly dis
appearing upon the introduction of this
tree. A railway station in the Depart
ment of the Var was so pestilential tina
the officials could not remain there long
er than a year. Forty of these tree
were planted, and the unhealthy condi
tion of the place was changed. Two
miles from Haywards, in this place, the
Surveyor General planted two rows o
:. eucalyptus, one of about ninety acres
and the other seventy acres, the who'll
comprising about 100000 trees. They
are now only about five years old, We
many of the trees are forty to fifty fee
high, the whole making a most extensive
and beautiful forests; for fuel and timbe
purposes being worth thousands of dol
lars"