The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1875-08-12
er Tree-Ita AecllmatizatiOn in
lla-WOnderfaI Medicinal Quail

--~rd Of the Eucalyptus tree a. an
antiseptic and disinfectaAt 10 excellent.
The districts in which it is indigenous are
healthy, and those into which It has been
introduced and thfiven have become
healthy. a few miles from Algiers Is farm
which was noted for its deadly feTers. Lie
on Il In the summer months was almoss i'm
possible. In the year 1867 the owner
planted 1900 Eucalyptus trees, and they
grew nine feet in thirteen months, and not
single case offever appeared. Nor hasthere
been any fever there since. Now, If the
Eucalyptus win make the sickly climate of
Ire Fontane healthy it can safely be relied
on as an antiseptic and disinfectant, and I
advise those curious in such matters to
watch the success Of the Trappist monks in
its cultivation. ..---r.t ,....,al
Near Constantine, Algeria, there were
vast swamps, never dry, even in the hottest
months, and productive of violent periodic
fevers. About IA. 900 Eucalyptus trees were
planted there, and they soon dried up every
square foot of che swamp and killed of the
fevers. Maison Carree, near Hanasch, was
once great market for quinine, as there
was much fever; but since the blue gum has
been planted there the demand for quinine
has almost entirely ceased. Mexico and
Cuba were also, not many years ago, great
consumers of quinine, and, as the mercan-
tile books OF exporters in your city will
show, since the introduction of Eucalyptus
into these countries the demand has greatly
fallen off. 1t IS reported a very I'M
healthy railroad station in the Department
of Var, Southern France, has been made
healthy by grove of forty Eucalyptus trees.
Efforts are now being made to introduce
this wonderful tree into Ceylon as an anti
dote to jungle fever, and it is also being
carried over in large numbers for planting
in the jungles of India. The English
have given it great attention, but the most
intelligent tree-growers believe il is too del
icate to stand the cold water of English
springs The Eucalyptus seems destined to
make the tour of the world, but it will be
found to grow best in the La Plata States
and California.
Referring to our own country, planters
have met with the most wonderful success
in cultivating it on the Pacific coast. One
gentleman, who planted several thousand
trees at Wilmington, California, says:
"When set out they were only from three
grew six and eight feet high" Another
gentleman, the editor of the Kern county
(Cal.) Courier, who owns farm on which
he is experimenting with Eucalyptus trees,
writes:F aa
II have given the Eucalyptus what re-
gard as a reasonably fair test on my own
farm. This farm is cultivated by two Chi
nese families. Ore of the families lives near
the north and the other the south end of
the land. about three-fourths of q mile
apart. The localities both parties inhablt
are favorable to the development of malaria
The soil is rich, moist and teeming with
vegetable life, and the free sweep of the
prevailing wind is DISTRACTED by the inter
vention of dense thckets. As might be ex-
pected they have every year, during the
heated term, suffered with malarial fever.
Last winser we determined to test the Vir-
tues Of Eucalyptus. In FEBRUARY we gave
to the party at the north end two ounces of
blue gum seed, with directions it should be
planted near the house. 1t terminated finely,
and produced thousands of young plants
but unfortunately most of them were killed
by frost. About 1900, however, survived.
These, when the heated term commenced,
had attained an average height of two feet,
and emitted a strong aromatic or camphor-
Gus odor, perceptible at distance of 100
yards. In due time the party at the south
end were visited by their usual mildly dis
tressiDg fever, bur up 10 the present. time
(nearly the end of the fever season) we have
looked in vain for the first SYMPTOMS to de-
velop at the other end. They are all, to
their own astonishment, in the most robust
health. These trees now average more than
three feet in height, and the atmosphere at
the house is strongly impregnated with their
odor. We have investigated in vain for
some other cause to which to attribute the
anomalous state of health of the inmates,
and can find none but the reputed sanitary
properties of this tree.
But not only has the Eucalyptus tree be-
come a favorite in California for its we'll
known medicinal properties, butt grows so
fast and to such an enormous size IL is now
being planted for wood. The enterprising
CAhfornians have thought il worth their
while to form a company for the purpose of
raising Eucalyptus. A gentleman writing
of the company says:
1.-TWO hundred acres of choice land have
been secured within a mile or two of Los
Angeles, on which Eucalyptus, only -four
years and a half old from the seed, are now
growing, which measure sixteen inches in
circumference and are twenty-five feet high
1t is estimated each one of these trees are
worth one dollar for fuel and more thar
that for manufacturing purposes. Foresters
calculate that 600 can be grown to the acre,
and il Tequirts no great calculation TO show
how profitable such business may be made
The company organized in Los Angeles pro
pose purchasing land at thirty dollars PEI
acre, and the cost of seed, planting, etc.,
will probably average twenty-five cents PEI
tree. The total for 900 trees and the acrt
of land will reach $50 to $780, At thu
end Of four years, supposing the trees Il
succeed as the average do, the timber will
be worth 5000. As these trees stump ant
sprout rapidly, another such yield Of tim
Der may be- expected in four years more
Fuel, as is known, is very expensive in al
the great valleys of California. But, will
the Eucalyptus tree, the farmers Of tn
State seem to have the remedy in their owl
hands, beyond which it affords en- oppor
tunity of securing an income by the sale o
timber for manufacturing purposes"
Farmers Ia California are generally avail
ing themselves of the advantages TO be dc
rived fCom the Eucalyptus. Mr.. J. II
Byers, who has farm near the town o
Colusa, on the west bank Of the Sacramen
TO river. has planted 80, 600 Eucalyptus o
the narrow-leaved, iroa-barked variety
which he intends growing rs an orchard
the trees being set out about ten feet apart
His reason, he says, for planting iron-6ark
instead Of blue gum is thar they stand III
severe frosts best 4lF
While was at San Francisco, Mr.. W. A
Mathews came down from Sacramento /
purchase so, 900 Eucalyptus OF the iror
park variety, which he said he was goin
TO plant On about 100 acres Of rich han
that had never before been broken, He vi
raise cotton the first year between the row
OF trees, and the second year sugar beet
after which the trees will be grown alon,
as they win probably east TOO much shsd
for the successful cultivation Of crops b
tween them. - .g .ss.a -
Mr.. Mathews has raised so, 900 trees
one season, eight inches high, from tuOan
ahalf pounds OF seed, gathered from trel
grown IN Oakland, California. This is quit
Important Tor n proves tho native Gallo
MIA sad N i'll rr,,rntinate e,s,tea = II