Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-05-24
THE EUCALYPTUS.
Facts About the Wonderful Tree That
kDestrOys Malaria.

kDestrOys Malaria.
San Francisco Bulletin.
The eucalyptus globulus, or Australian
gum tree, is favorably known to all resi-
dents Of California, where probably not less
than 100000 trees 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 me
planted in the country surrounding Oak
land, and, in fact, III every county of this
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 appreciated. 1t is justly
claimed that when the tree fiOurishes in
low, marshy, and feverish districts all mi
asma will cease. 1t destroys the malarial
element IN the atmosphere where it grows,
and is a great abSOrbant of moisture, drain
ing the subSOil 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 climate,
both as to heat and cold, ranging from $50
deg. to 20 deg. Fahrenheit. Whether il
will endure a greater degree of cold We
think has as yet been undetermined. 1t is,
however, worthy a trial.
Its remarkably rapid growth is a matter of
much surprise, attaining, as it does, max
imum height of about 800 feet, with cir
conference of from thirty to fifty feet. For
timber and fuel il is exceedingly useful,
being hard and easily worked, and very
seryiceable for such purposes as the keels of
vessels, bridges, &c, where strength and
durability are essential. 1t is estimated
that from S4,0O0,000 to 100000 in value
of this timber is exported annually from
Australia.
The leaves of this tree are of dark
blush color, about ten inches long, an inch
wide, thin and oddly twisted. They ex-
hale a strong camphOr-like odor, quite
agreeable and pleasant, which, with the
large absorption of water by the roots,
cause the beneficial influence of the tree.
1t bears a small white flower, having no
Odor.
In consequence of its anti-febrile quail
ties, 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 pestilential diseases pre-
vailed, the eucalypti have also been plant
ed. The wonderful properties Of this tree
have been discussed by many scientific in
stitutions in Europe. In the Academy of
Sciences in this city its medical and anti
mismatic qualities have received consider
able attention. DIR. Pigne Dupuytren tes-
titled before that academy of the virtues of
the eucalyptus, and stated that he and DR..
D'Olivera had tested it in the French hos
pital. In the garden surrounding this hos
pital large number of the trees are plant
ell for sanitary purposes. 1t had been found
efficacious in the treatment of affections of
the larynx and of mucous membrane in
general. Experiments, carefully made,
have proved that in medical preparation
it cures cases of intermittent fever against
which quinine alone proves powerless. 1t
is also valuable as a disinfectant.
In Algeria its cultivation was undertaken
on large scale. Some 1900 eucalypti
were planted in an extremely pestilential
and unhealthy section, where fever pre-
vailed to great extent every year. Dur
ing the fourth year OF their growth, at the
tic Ach Ct StstSDil llSeu 10 set
not single case of fever occurred, vet the
trees were only nine feet high. Since then
this place is reported free from IFS unwelcome
visitatiOns. In the vicinity of Constantine
pie, another fever spot, marshy and sickly,
the whole ground was dried up by 1900
of these trees. In Cuba marsh diseases are
rapidly disappearing upon the Introduction
of this tree. A railway station in the de-
partment of the Var, France, was so pesti-
lential that the officials could not remain
there longer than year. Forty of these
trees were planted, and the unhealthy con-
dition of the place was changed.
Two miles from Hawards, in this State,
the Surveyor General planted two groves
of the eucalyptus, one Ofabout ninety acres
and the other seventy acres, the whole
comprising about 1900 trees. They are
now only about five years old, yet many of
the trees are forty to fifty feet high, the
whole making most extensive and beauti-
fnl forest, forfuel ard timber purposes being
worth thousands Of dollars.