Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-01-21
DO TREES KILL MALARIA!
Opinion Of Landscape Architect OI,u-
stead.

HIS PLAN OF TREE PLANTING TO PROTECT THE
CAPIToI. FROM MIAsMA.
Mr.. Fred. Law Olmstead, Landscape Archi-
tect Of tie Capitol grounds. has written the fol-
lowing letter to Senator Rollins chairman of the
committee on public buildings and grounds:
SIR: respectfully ask your consideration for the
fact that the air OF the Capitol is always during
the larger part of the year. charged with poisonous
miasIna. II the fact is questioned VIII submit
reasons for asserting it, For the present | assume
1t. and also that session OF Congress can be car
NED into the spring. or held during the summer
or fan. without distinct Impairment, because OF
this mi3Sinatic poison, OF the health. yigor and
ability for their duty OF its members, while. in the
USUAL interval between the sessions OF Congress,
the efficiency of all who are employed in the busi-
hess o. the Capitol is lessencd By il.
The source OF The poison is the low ground lying
from half &c mile to q mile south OF the Capitol
kjsng from this locality it is fioated nortuwari by
the summer winds to the Capitol The evil may in
tine be cut on at its origin by embellishments and
drainage, but adequate operations for the purpose
VIII be costly, and are likely To be prolonged
While in progress their immediate effect viii be
an aggraVation or the evil. The movement OF the
poison may, however, be arrested 10y means. which
VIII NOT he costly of planting the strip OF lanl
Low ned by the United States along the base OF the
Captol I'LL on the south. The situation and the
scope OF the planting required are indicated on the
suoJolhro lap. should there be doubt with
your committee OF the value OF the purpose OF the
eXpedient thus proposed, it is respectfully sug-
gested that ii might be removed BIZ inCuiripr of
The National BOARD OF Health.
The proposition originated I'm q question adj
dressed to me in 1879 by Mr. Edward Clark. the
afc,itect OF the Capitol. my reply to which, at
tacheo 10 The map below, more fully defines the
very simple scheme. VIII add here that the trees
required to carry it out could probably be obtained
Ties OF the commissioners OF the District OF Co
luihbia; that the proposition is 10 all respects a
frugal one, and that it would have very desirable
lhcldehtal advantages, which. should your COM
mittee be pleased to entertain the question. /
Would ask the honor TO Ice allowed to explain from
The windows OF the committee room
very respectfully, your obedient servant,
FEED'K LAW OIMsTEaD
Landscape Architect OF the Capitol Grounds.
NEW YORK, May %, 1879.
EDWARD CLARK, ESQ.,,
ATchitect or ne Coptto, Washington. DC:
MY DEAR S1R:-SIient3tc students OF the subject
are divided between two theories of the nature or
lnaiarial poison, and differ as TO the manner i'm
which trees act Gron 1t. but the follow ng prono-
sitions satisfy either theory and their so,ndnfss
Is, believe. upQueStioBed.
lsI II malarial poison originates in particular
localltl, ana there Is a free movement of air be-
tween the locality and a hill nile away from it
ID ,1e direction IN which the prevailing winds OF
summer move. The poison is lii ely 10 he more fell
mediate valley. WV -N'
ID But if there is belt of trees crossing the d.
rect llne between the two localities the entire
higher ground to Ieeward is often Toun6 to he
wholly, and nearly always partially and in an tm-
poTGint degree. protected from the action of the
poison
II, therefore, there was a body OF trees alonc,
the base OF capitol Hill. the rOuctheneath them
being well drained and rot in itself ada nfed tn tbe
production OF malaria, it would in all probability
DE an efficient means of protection to the CaptGl
from malarial poison originating on the hanks of
the Potomac and in the low grounds between the
river and the hill WIZ
Your suggestion that a plantation for this pur-
pose could pe formed upon the government prOn-
erty aong the line OF the old canal Stems TO me an
excellent one. " INV "
have attempted to give ft a more definite form
In the accompanying map, by which IL will he seen
that whiie maintaining with unimportant eycen
ions the existing and intended lines OF puhltc
communication, continuous belt l6O feet wide
cOu!d be planted so as TO connect the existing
pa ntatonS OF the Botanic garden with another Id
De FORMED upon reservation IL. have pronosed a
walk twenty feet wide through the middle az the
belt, as the branches of the trees standing 1T ire
sides would soon meet overhead and form an nm
broken BODY OF foliage. 1 think il desirable TO
avoid so large gap as would be needed for a cen
trail drive and walks
The desired result would OF course he much
sooner and more effectively obtained III the plan
tatlon could be extended over the space between
the proposed belt and the Capitol grounds and
tDlS would give much needed opportu nity Tor
enlaTglng the collections OF the National Botanic
Sarden, and add greatly to the dignity of the
Capitol itself. But the suggestion sboujd he ear.
ried out as indicated on the man Without the
purchase OF any land, at very moderate outlay
lof sou, trees. and planting. and with conn., |
uence In results or value to Congress and To the
PUBIC Respectfully,
FRED X LAW OLMsTEAD,
Landscape Architect.