The daily gazette., 1875-10-26
Letter from California.
Correspondence Of the Baltimore sun.l

AND IAMPEkAlUhE-F FokEsr Gull
TURE.
| All over the State M llerious diseases 5
prevail, not alone in the low lands but
III the highlands. DIR. W. p. Gibbons
has long sought to discover the source
of malaIial poison, and to find a pre-
vent.ve. Wherever the soil is up
t,r"sd by the piow fever and asuc,
comes. Terrific. sickness interfered
~l.n work along the line Of construc
tion of the Overland railroad. Up hill
and down in the marsh was all the same.
| 1t is supposed that canals Increase lev
ers, but seven thousand miles Of dit I'll
es have been leading currents OF water
al over The mining districts Tor wash
ing aurifcrous gravel banks, without
increasing sickness, though previously
here was no dew and now dews are
heavy. Everywhere in California the
.ne summer temperature by day IL
Ugh and At night blankets are in re
quest. 1t is observed that persons
oaretnl to avoid exposure at early morn
asd eve do not tscape he f,ver; nor Is
thsre marked distIuctiCn N between bare
and wooded places, but a great ssnl-
| I ry Improvement is noticed wherever
iralnage is established making subsoil
currents. Trees planted on the borders
OF maiarious swamps, when growth 10
we'll established correct the evil
From these premises the doctor infers
the presence in ali soils Of poisonous
desicaton, the product of vegetable
| fermentation. 1t is inert when desica-
"a "A far 20 rrtoa II off
But whom the soil is stirred the lateut
| poison becor es active and 30 it. does
when In stag nant water under a hot
sun, especially when no favoriDg wind
carries II away.
The gr at united and continuous
valleys Of Sacramento and San Joaquin
some 375 miles long, and averaging
perhaps ten miles broad, are sparsely
pnpulatcd because unhealthy. A
pruhd belt of marsh land stretches the
w"ule length between the farm lands
md the rivers. he river 10 shat out
from view, by q rank growth of tall,
reedy grass called tule (sei,pus iaeustrfs)
In the raiuy season this Is under under
water. AS the rivers fall the belt
nearest the farm land dries, leaving
stagnaut pools; and the malarial poison
under burning sun and skies uncloud-
ed, is waited across the valley.
To reclaim this malarious land it is
proposed 10 plant forest 375 miles
long by two miles wide, with trees of
rapid growth that make widespread
roots aud absorb most water. This
would establish subterranean currents
and absorption of malarial matter. The
soil is porous and penetrable to the
depth OF fully seventy-five feet. This
forms vast sponge Of water ample to
supply the roots; and instead of being
stagnant and pestriferous, 1t would
become source OF healthy refrigera-
tion and moisture to the country
famed by the trade winds OF summer.
Accurate experiments ON eucalyptus
trees give reliable approximation of
the water that such a forest would
purify and disperse through tho at
mosphere, dispensing life, health and
for ten miles beyond the alluvial bot
toms.
1his area would make forest of
ninety-six millions OF trees, whose
value in ten years would be incalcula.
BILE. These trees in ten years would
equal twenty-five years growth else.
where. Every day the forest would
pump up and exhale through its leaves
Two thousand millions of gallons of
purest of water. This is equivalent
to canal of water 80 feet wide, OF
feet deep and $40 miles long. During
the hours of night and of morn and
eve, this vast blanket of saturated air
would rest on the earth precipitating
ferljlizing dew upon tho land. There
would issue also from the leaves a
steady stream OF oxygen gas, neutral
izlng ali poisons and giving health and
purity to the air.
Great heat incubates disease. The
evaporation of water reduces tempera.
ture and chec..s the production of
miasmatic virus. Tie balsa..4ic odor
Of the eucalyptus tree is popularity
credited with antifebral qualities,
which are due solely to other causes
explained. Any tree of equal growth
would do US well. Hedges and copsee
Of willow would be excellent, and for
that matter the leaves and bark of
willows contain q februgal principle
Us CuVStiNO oihio"t no u uiuiut. OluGiul
returns from the masters of govern
ment forests planted in France and
Germany, prove their genial influence.
Along the Atlantic shores Of France
for nearly three hundred miles, were
marshes pasturing sheep with shep-
herds. on stilts. Now o broad forest
converts this into healthy farms,
orchards. dairies and beet sugariee.
these experiences and snggesiions
contain valuable information, useful
in the Atlantic States, and to all per.
sons in country life, subject to paludal
feYers. National instincts are urging
all our States to plant trees for profit.
But great as this will be. 1t will be
eclipsed by tho health and comfort of
the people, and by the seasonal ameli-
oratn n that will insuys richer and
more equal productions.