The weekly Louisianian., 1874-05-30
THE EUCALYPTUS TREE.
AN ACCOUNT OF ITS PECULIAR PROPER
TIES ITS REMARKABLE ABSORB
TON OF MALARIA.

I
tree have only within the past few
years been discovered and appre-
ciated. It is justly claimed that
when the tree flourishes in low,
marshy, and feverish districts all
miasma will cease. It destroys the
malarial element in any atmosphere
where it grows, and is a great alb
sorbent of moisture, draining the
sub-soil almost as thoroughly as a
regular system of piping.
The Eucalyptus is an evergreen,
and is found in its native country,
Tasmania, in boundless forests, both
on the hillside and in the lowlands,
under extremes of heat and cold,
from 130 to 20 degrees
Fahrenheit. Whether it will en-
dure a greater degree of cold we
think has as yet been undetermined.
It is, however, worthy a trial. It's
remarkably rapid growth is a mat
ter of much surprise; attaining as
it does, a maximum height of about
300 feet, with a circumference of
from 80 to so feet. For timber and
fuel it is exceedingly useful, being
hard and easily worked, and very
serviceable for such purposes as the
keels of vessels, bridges, etc., where
strength and durability are essen
tial. It is estimated that from
$4,o0o,o0O to $5,000,000 in value
OF this timber is exported annually
from Australia. The leaves of this
tree are of q dark-bluish color,
about ten inches long, an inch wide,
thin and oddly twisted. They ex-
hale a strong camphor-liko ordor,
quite agreeable and pleasant, which
with the large absorption Of water
by the roots, causes the beneficial
influence of the tree. It bears
small white flower, having no odor.
In consequence of it's antifebrile
qualities the English government
has planted it extensively in the
East Indies and Africa, in fever
districts, with the most satisfactory
results. In France, Cuba, Spain,
Mexico, and many other places
where malaria, fever, ague, and other
pestllential diseases prevailed, the
eucalyptus have also been planted.
The wonderful properties Of this
tree have been discussed by many
scientific institutions in Europe.
In the academy of sciences in this
city it's medicinal and ante-miasma-
tic qualities have received consid-
erable attention. DR.. Rigne Du-
puyten testified before that academy
of the virtues Of the Eucalyptus,
and stated that he and DIR. Doll
vera had tested it in the French
hospital. In the garden surround
ing this hospital a large number OF
trees are planted for sanitary pur-
poses. It had been found effica-
cious in the treatment of affections
of the larynx and of mucous mem
brane in general. Experiments,
carefully made, have proved that in
a medicinal preparation it cures
cases of intermittent fever, against
which quinine alone proves power
less. 1t is also valuable as disin-
fectant.
In Algeria it's cultivation was un-
dertaken on a large scale. Some
10000 eucalypti were planted in an
extremely pestilential and unhealthy
section, 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 fever oc-
Cured, yet the trees were only nine
feet high. Since then this place is
reportd free from its unwelcome
visitations.
In the vicinity of Constantinople
another fever spot, marsby and
sickly, the whole ground was dried
up by $4,000 Of these trees. In
Cuba, marshy diseases are rapidly
disappearing upon the introduction
of this tree. A railway station in
the department Of the Var was 50
,>oak;1on&;al Ehak the officials could