The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1876-11-15
vEGETATIoN 40 mnAnrm.
A"ctent fdcn~ Sustained By Re
Crnt Hnves rI-ntioms-The
SHnnOwcr "a a SAINT
tary Agent.

The English Gardeners MAGAZINE
says: "Our instinct leads as TO DELIGHT
in flowers. Their beauty and perfume
have Irresistible attractions for Is. We
have little dreamed that we were thus
led to surround ourselves with objects
/ winch most powerfully couduce to health.
y" doubt there are certain members of
the vegetable kingdom which are exceed
ingly deletcrious; for, not % speuk of
the much-dreaded upas the West Indi-
ans manchlneel, and some species of the
American rhus, there are some of our
common sweet-scentel flowers. such as
the mezereon which have very injurious
properties. But recent investigation has
proved that these a3oruments of our
gardens for the presence OF which we so
crave, are, as "a rule, endowed with health
preserving qualities. Oxygen, when
highly elec,ritieI and SD rendered especial.
iy Whaling. has in recent times been dis
tingulshcd 10y the name of ozone This
~ one OF the chief elements of q healthy
atmosphere. Now, centuries ago 10 was
known that certain plants acted as power
tut disintectants. Thus Herodian tells
Us that, when in the second century the
plague ragged IN Italy, the physicians
recommended those who crowded into
Rome to 20 20 Laurentum. because there
the sweet bay tree Laura nobilisl grew
IN great abundance. and the inhalation
OF air impregnated with It's od0rs was a
strong preventative against infection.
And the disciples of Empedoclcs were
wont to grow aromatic and balsamic
herbs around their dwellings, from the
belief that they were thus guarding
themselves against levers, agucs and
such like Has not, too, among us the
tradition of its feyer-dispeIlng power
given the name of foverfeW 10 one of the
strongest scented of the composite
Recent Investigations especially those of
Prot. Montcgazza, of Pagua. aud DR..
Cornelius Fox, have shown these old
ideas were based on scientific truth.
II is now ascortained that the quality
of ozone is materially increased by
the exposure 10 the rays the sun of vari
Gus plants, among which the most com
mon are the lavaudcr musk, cherry.
laurel Glove, teunel, narcssus, heliotrope.
hyaclnth and miguonettc. L, is interest
ing TO know that the ~uulower. which
Will grow almost anywhere. and can be
turned 70 various useful purposes, Is one
of the most sanitary agents, since not
only is il ozoniparous, but also DESTROYS
delicious miasmata It should be not
cd as further proof OF the good influence
OF plautculture ON health, that, while tho
Of ozone is an independent
work carried on 10y the flowers alone, Tho
green leaves are performing their sanitary
function by extracting carbonic acid gas
from the atmosphere, and helping 10 rel
serve that portion in It's elements which
tends to make it healthful. More remark
able, perhaps, than all is the eucalyptus.
of which we have recently heard So much.
and of which we shall soon know more.
Thus the cultivation of flowers Is "a
work not merely delightful and human
nng in itself, but one, which 10 q way
most beautiful and picturesqe, conlers
positive benefit on society, 80 great that
it can hardly be ovcrrated especially ina
large towns, where there must uecessari-
ly be so much TO poison and deteriorato
the air we breathe. II may be added
that the sunhowcr thrives even in the
heart of London, and that il is readily
from seeds sowu i'm March or
April. 1t is nearly allied to the COM
mon Jerusalem artickoke, which also
grows in the smokiest Of districts