Salt River herald., 1878-03-09
FOR OUR FARMERS.
Information About The
 Eucalyptus Tree.
INTERESTING READING
Best Cows For Farms - Broad Chested Horses-Miscel-
 laneous Notes.

It is now four years since the euca- lyptus globulus, or fever tree, was introduced into this city from Cal ifornia. Some seeds were procured by direction of the City Council, who decided on q trial of the tree, in view of the severe yellow-fever epidemics that had previously at in tervals ravaged, decimated and pe- riodically filled with mourning the | coast cities of the gulf From ex- periments made with the tree in Houston, it is considered sufficient ly demonstrated that the climate and soil of South and Middle Tex as will permit not only of its growth but its hourishing in this latitude. Among the prominent citizens of Houston who now have eucalyptus trees growing in their yards are E. Ii. Cushing and Dr. Fielding, both of whom have been quite successful with the tree.
 Is IT 4 PROTECTIONl
 In so far as the city of Houston is concerned the tree cannot be said to have been grown here in sufi- cient numbers to afford a fair test of its alleged anti-febrile properties. Certain it is, however, that since its introduction there has been no cpl demic of yellow fever. In the Fall of 1875 and 1876 there were few sporadic cases of yellow fever, but the disease died out without spread ing, and for the last two years the city has not only been free from levers of all kinds, but, according to the report of the Health Officer, one of the healthiest cities in the United States. However when the tree has been more extensively cul- tivated here, as it will be, it will be more legitimate to draw conclusions
 as to the reality of the properties
 supposed to reside in the eucalyptus. The experiments now being made
 with it are of great and deep inter- est to the inhabitants of the towns and cities on the Gulf subject to the rotten disease of the South"
 THE EUCALYPTUS
 Is in many respects a remarkable
 tree. Its growth is swift and lux
 uriant. Its capsules are globulous; its leaves, when young, are subcer-
 diform and of a uniform green color, often twisted slightly towards the
 base, or narrowly lanciolate or elon- gated in a feathery point and GOV cred with feathery nerves. The
 flowers are axillary; double or ter
 nate, sessile or furnished with a
 short peduncle, broad and com
 pressed. The buds are frosted and 2 slightly wrinkled. In Tasmania the
 eucalyptus is known as the blue
 gum tree, and deserves to be placed
 among the giants of the vegetable
 kingdom. It frequently attains a , prodigious night. Its wood is ex. , ceedingly hard and the grain regu lar. It is full of rosin and absorbs ! water both by its leaves and roots Il with astonishing facility, which is considered by many to be the merit
 of its prOphylactic properties. It is
 supposed to absorb the malaria ot
 marshy districts and render it innoc
 uous in the same way.
 '- AS AN INSTANCE
 o Of its drying powers, a branch O e the eucalyptus was placed in vast IS of water and locked in an iron safe IS Five days after the vase was empty tt and dry and the leaves withered n The experiment was repeated il D. the open air. At 6 o'clock in th, V morning a vase, one foot deep anC IS half foot wide at its mouth, wa ts in like manner filled with wate l. and a branch of the tree placed is therein. In the morning the branch r. after exposure to the suns rays