The Osceola times., 1875-07-17
THE FEVER TREE
A Vegetable Dlsinfectart For
Swamps that Cannot be
Properly Drained.

The eucalyptus, or bluo.gum tree
Of Australia, was discovered by a
French scientist, Lahilardiors, who
visited Van DIemen's Land IN 1892.
The great size and beauty OF the
tree soon gave it place in the bo-
tanical gardens of Europe. Its
medicinal qualities, however, for
which it is now so famous, do not
seem to have become known until
about thirty years ago. The col
onls,s of TASMANIA used 1T for n
great variety of purposes, but was
ignorant of its power as an anti
septic. This was apparently dis
covered IN Spain. In 1860 the
ncighborhood of the city Of Val
entinc was planted with eucalyptus.
A marked improvement in the
hcalthiulness OF the locality fol-
lowed. The Spaniards forthwith
dubbed it the "iever tree" 1t
was soon afterwards introduced into
Algeria, the climate of which SEEM
ed especially adapted to 1t. IT may
fairly be saldto be naturalized there,
at the Cape Of Good Hope, in tae
La Plata, States OF South America,
and in California,
After trial for many years in
Southern France, 1t has failed, rs II.
rule, to become hardy, or to suck
up and dlstroy the poisonous va
pors of the swamps, which it was
planted. The few dozen spcci-
men planted within the walls OF
Rome are nearly all alive, but very
few OF them are vigorous. Within
a year or two the Trappist Monks
ut the IRE Fontane Convent have
set out large plantations Of the
trees, and are tending them with
the utmost care. This may be
fairly looked upon a decisive ex-
pertinent. The place known as
the Ire Fontane-the three ioun-
tains-lies some miles south OF
Rome, and is the seat of a mag
nificent monastery. Yet its eli
mate is so deadly that the splendid
buildings, rlch in mosaics, marbles,
and frescoes, are wholly deserted
during the summer. Trying to
live in them then would be certain
death. If the bluc-gum tree makes
the IRE Fon;ane healthy, 1t can be
relied on to do the same work any
where else. Its record as an anti.
septic and dislntectant is already a
good one.
The districts IN which It is indi-
genous are healthy, and those into
which it has been transplantcd and
in which it has thriven have become
healthy. A few miles from The
city of Algiers there was farm
which was noted for ITS deadly
teyers. Life on it in July was al
most impossible. In the Spring Of
1867 thirteen hundred eucalyptus
trees were planted there. They
were nine feet high by the next
July, and not a case of fever ap-
peared. Nor has one appeared
since. Near Constantine, Algeria,
there were vast swamps, never dry
even in the hottest summers, and
productive of violent periodic fc-
vers. About fourteen thousand
eucalyptus trees dried up every
square foot OF swamp and killed
the fever. Mason CaTee, near
lanasch, was once a great market
for quinine. The demand for that
drug has ceased since the blue gum
tree was planted there. Mercantile
books are said to show a similar
decline in the amount Of qulninc
consumed in Mexico and Cuba OF
late, and similar cause is given
for II. a very unhealthy railroad
station in the department Of Var,
Southern Faance, has been made
healthy by grove OF forty OF these
] Il. IL