Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1874-05-15
THE EUCALYPTUS TREE.
Its Peculiar Properties and Advsan-
tages-Remarkabl Absorption OF
NaIaria.

The San Francisco Pulletin gives the
| following account of the Eucalyptus
| Globulls. or Australian gum tree, OBJ
tanned principally from Messrs. Sontag
| Il Co., of San Francisco, who have
given much attention to its culiiva-
| ton
The eucalyptus is favorablv known
to all residents of California, where
| probably not less than one million
tree are planted. In this city, in front
| of handsome residences, you will find
| It with its magnificent dropping
| branches, making an effective and
graceful shade-tree. In Oakland, the
| broad avenues are lined with them.-
Eucalyptus forests are planted in the
country surrounding Oakland. and, in
| fact, in every county in the State,
where the cold winter will permit it to
live, the eucalyptus will be found grow
ing. The wonderful properties OF this
tree have only. within the past few
years been discovered and appreciat-
ed. 1t is justly claimed that when the
tree fiourlshes in low, marshy and
feverish districts, all miasma will
| cease. 1t destroys the malarial ele-
ment in any atmosphere where it
grows, and is a great absorbent of
| moisture, draining the subsoil almost
as thoroughly as regular system of
piping. The eucalyptus is an ever
green, and is found in its native coan-
try (Tasmania) in boundless forests.
both on the hillside and in the low
lands, under extremes OF climates,
both as to the heat and cold, ranging
ii ON 13O degrees to 20 degrees Fahen-
heit. Whether it will endure a greater
degree of cold we think has as yet
been undetermined. 1t is, however,
worthy trial. It's remarkably
rapid growth is n matter Of much
surprise, attaining, as it does, a maxi
mum height of about three hundred
feet, with a circumference of from
thirty to fifty feet. For timber and
fuel it is exceedingly useful, being
hard and easily worked, and very SER
viceab!e for such purposes as the keels
of vessels, bridges, &c, where strength
and durability are essential. 1t is es-
timated that from $4,000,000 to So
900, 600 in value of this timber is ex-
ported annually from Australia. The
leaves of this tree are a dark blush
color, about ten inches long, an inch
exhale a strong camphor-ike odor,
du1oC OSoD1C t'iSaottiil, "AAiSLs
with the large absorption of water by
the roots, causes the beneficial innn-
ence of the tree. It bears a small
white flower, having no odor. In con-
sequence of its anti-febrile qualities
the English government has plant ed it
extensively in the East Indies and Al
rica, in fever districts, with the most
satisfactory results. In France, Cuba,
Spain, Mexico, and many other places
where malaria, fever, aSue and other
pestllentlal diseases prevailed, the
eucalypti have also been planted. The
wonderful properties of this tree have
been discussed by many scientific i'll
stitutions in Europe In the Academy
of Sciences, in this city, its medicinal
and anti-miasmatic qualities have re-
ceived considerable attention. DIR.
Pigne Dupuytren testified before that
academy of the virtues of the cucolyp-
tus. and stated that he and DR.. ID
Olivera had tested it in the French
Hospital. In the garden surrounding
this hospital large number Of the trees
are planted for sanitary purposes. 1t
had been found efficacious in the treat
ment of affections of the larynx and of
mucous membrane in general. Expert
ments, carefully made, have proved
that III g medicinal pref aratlon it cures
cases Of intermittent fever, against
which quinine alone proves rowerless.
1t is also valuable as a disinfectant In
Algeria It's cultivation was undertaken
on large scale. Some $4,000 eucalypti
were planted in an extremely pestilen-
tial and unhealthy section, where fever
prevailed to great extent every year.
During the first year of their growth,
at The time when the fever season used
to set in. not single case of fever oc-
Cured, yet the trees were only nine
feet high. Since then this place is re-
ported free from its unwelcome vista
tions. In the vicinity of Constantine
pie, another fever spot, marshy and
sickly, the whole ground was dried up
by 14,O00 of these trees. In Cuba,