The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-06-21
93g 8a sj= i5} hl53! gs13 a= 5I55
THE EUCALYPTUS.

THE EUCALYPTUS.
/ The New York Herald reprints from The
Tale newspaper. Rome, letter from Prince
Troubetzkoy, In regard to the eucalyptus
tree and Its virtues, both as preventive d
fever and as an insecticide. The letter was
provoked by debate In the italian Parlia-
rnent on the proposition to plant the eucalyp-
/ tus Id the Campana Romano and other local
tiles Ii italy that are uninhabitable by reason
\ Of the prevalence Of deadly fevers, produced
by the marshy and other malarious emana-
lions which the eucalyptus 10 supposed to de-
stroy or, at least, to render comparatively
innoxious.
Prince Troubetzkoy Ia a distinguished hor-
ticulturist and botaniet, whose garden OF &C
climation, near Lake Maggiore, has o Euro
pean reputation. He has cultivated In 1t dur
Ing the past twelve years not less than forty
five specimens OF the eucalyptus, and may,
therefore, be considered qualified to speak OF
It's virtues. After close observation. he pre-
fers the teanygdalina- species he was
the first to import from Australia,-for the
following reasons:
First, its rapid growth, trees planted but
eight years ago having already attained q
height Of seventy feet and q circumference Of
four and q half. Second, It's superior hygienio
properties, Its leaves containing four times
more euclayptul than the ID. Globulus,
which species has been planted to some ex-
tent Id New Orleans. Third, the hardness Of
the wood, which adapts 1t for the construc-
ton Of vessels. Fourth. the usefulness OF its
bark, which can be used for many purposes,
such as the manufacture Of mats, paper, etc.
Fifth, It's adaptability to any soil, as 1t grows
as well In moist as In dry places, and the
greater resistance 1t offers to varying winds
and temperatures
Inregard to the hygienie qualities Of the
eucalyptus, Prince Troubetzkoy expresses
the greatest confidence. Upon this subject he
says:
aa eaad as aaess tsan seio s
he ks Rs ff hs ws asssns
ns p hass sds shs a snfn
Algeria. Corsica and Ia the departments OF the
Alpes- Maritimes and the VAR. They no longer
entertain any doubt on the subject,
The British government places so much
confidence in the virtues claimed for the
eucalyptus that 1t has determined to test
them on the most extensive scale In their
recently acquired possession, the island OF
Cyprus. This island was formerly one of
the healthiest and most salubrious spots on
earth, but the hyglenic conditions have been
entirely altered by variety Of causes, and
there is now scarcely q portion OF the island
trryh{ nh 10 o4od hxrf ~ he
malignant type. Our sanitarians will watch
the result Of this experiment with great In
terest, for, as the Herald observes, I'll an
island like Cyprus, which no ordinary hygienic
precautions can render safe for strangers, can
be restored BY the influence OF the eucalyptus
to the high state OF salubrity which we are
assured BY the old chroniclers It once enjoyed,
1t is certain that 1t can be still more usefully
and proitably employed In many portions Of
our own country"
But according to the testimony OF Prince
Troubetzkoy this tree can be made to sub
serve another most useful purpose in our
country In contributing to the protection Of
the cotton plant against the ravages OF the
boll-worm, caterpillar, lice and the other nu-
merous inseciverous enemies OF the plant. He
believes tito be assure protection against phyl-
loxera, deadly enemy OF the vine, though
his experiments have not proved satisfactory.
In all other cases the wood and the leaves
have proved the most effective of insecti-
cides. "For instance" says he, the sleepers
on the East Indian railways were ravaged by
the white ant, but now that they have been
replaced BY others made Of eucalyptus the
insects have ceased to attack them" Also in
Australia, where all vessels are made OF this
wood, the sea-worm never approaches them.
In Algeria, the locusts spare the eucalyptus
forests, while they eat up all other green things
not within the reach Of their influence. II
these most ravenous Of insects dread the
odorous influence Of this tree, we see no
reason why It should not prove destructive
to the multudlnous enemies Of the cotton and
tobacco plants, and thus prove an inestimable
blessing to this country.
4