The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1885-12-30

al 49, ackson ~
It has hekn said, thai is~As
blade OF grass 70 spring where n0nsl( ~
before is a benefact0r OF his rsee.
There is deeper significance IN ,h;s
formulated sfatement, than NAV Al first IS
conceded until re reflect upon the fact Ii 4
the animal and vegetable kingdoms are
the exact anfhiesis OF each other-the
poisonous exhalataons OF the former be-
come the life-giving aliment OF the
latter. Or, as Lieut. Maury has said
The animal and vegetable kingdoms
derive their powers from the harmony OF
their discord Tor each lives BY undoing
the work of the other.
As the animals are continually vitiating
the atmosphere by taking oxygen away
from 1t, and eerrupting it by throwing
earboBIe acid into 1t. il seems ut that the
vegetable kingdom, to which has been as
signed the task OF correcting these I'M
purities. shall also be as continually at
work.
But the generation OF poisonous gases
| is not restricted TO the animal kingdom.
| They are also produced in numerous ways
wavs aud in various forms by combustion
and decomposition OF vegetable matter.
| Their sources exist in earth, air aud water
and the chief agent Of their production,
in active state, Is heat.
Every fireplace, in winter, Is doing
something more than dispensing lght and
| heat to those who gather around II. Sc
eyerv marsh. especially in the heat OF
summer, is doing more than merely &c
| convert vegetation into humus. Both ailkt
are generating poisonous gasses, some q
which are well-known to chemical anlysis
while Others, although too attenuaied III
their construction or subtle IN their action
to be detected are still known to exist oy
their direful effects. Now the question Is, 70
what extent has science acquired the
mastery of these subtle and unseen agencies
around u? And how can such knowledg
| be applied for the benefit OF man, VINO mas
! been crowned with dominion as hlgh-prlesi
! OF nature
The object Of what has thus far been
| stated. Is only Introductory to lew prae-
ucal hints on the inestimable value oil
| trees aud plants as conservators Oh human
health and comfort.
The three prime elements which man
comes in contact with, are earth, AR anu
water. Upon all OF these trees and plants
are also alike dependent; but IN very OPP
posite directions Plants absorb car0onie
acid from the arr This they decompose,
and then. retaining the carbon TO be con-
| verified into fiber and fruit return the
oxygen to the air. The carbon without
this purifying operation of plants would
soon become. as in fact il does in some
localities. destructive agent 70 man.
The quantity OF carbonle acid gas IN the
atmosphere varies IRON one TO one ana
half for every 5000 parts OF common AR
The forests are built OF 1t, and the grass
the crops and all the vegetation that grow
annually throughout the world, consists
i chiefly OF the carbon which 1t supplies.
But in this wonderful system OF terres
trial economy the plants, while oulidlhi
up their own structures are dispensing 10
man and beast oxygen, the vital element .
a still higher order OF organic lie.
There is another view OF the importan
action of plants as purifiers OF the arr, ina
has been suggested by discovery oil III
Pasteur in his experiments IN cutS-c0tttot
He found that when virus germs wer
conducted under diminishing supply 0
oxygen the germs retained their prlmatiV
viruience, but on the contrary when the
had access to oxy gen, the virus pecan
weaker. Now the leaves, which are tn
lungs OF plants, take in poisonous gasse
on the under side and give out oxygen
Their action is two-fold- first, to absor
poison, and second to give out Oxygen
which neutralizes poison
The application that Is here maze
Pastuer's experiments in virus culture
supported by large and varied. e1 perlehc
For IL we'll known fact that marsh mas
is intercepted by forest, and that person
in localities thus screened are exempt lroi
attacks OF malarial fever.
This has been the experience OF II
British Government in planting trees Il
the protection of her garrisons III loeailtt
where hitherto only the natives ana rel
! tiles could withstand the maiarlal @poiseo
; Old settlers in this country, and ooserNlI
men every where, bear testimony 10 u
same bene6cent results from Intercepttt
forests.
!. Pastuer's discovery offers this explan
|. ton: when cloud OF maiarlal germ
> are waited from a marsh TO the neighbo
. mo fnrest they are either absorbed as ii
g natural food of the trees, or else th'
. encounter continuous stream OF oxyg'
! pouring from every leaf, Alternating u
virIis and rendering 1t lnnocuous.
70 Again. great variety OF trees ana plan
- have the power OF generating ozone VINE
= spllts up carbonic acid, absorbing the ca
:. bon and setting Tree the oxygen. BY tn
y operation house plants remedy, to son
l. extent. the evils of bad ventilatlo
* * Besides. plants no doubt, IN connecti'
ii with moisture. exhale some oil their actl
q and peculiar properties. 1t IS known tn
Is the scent of mint and thyme Is due
~ aenfbol and thvmoi, anticipates OF the ing
IS est value. The eucalyptus Is remarNAt
at as a prophylactic against malaria.
Of There can be no doubt bat that we ma
trees adapted to our climate that posse
De these functions and properties to remar
ne able degree, among others the sWeel-su
and magnolia. >.
What has thus far been said applies
eur hemisphere during the spring
summer seasons In winter the carbon
e, acid gas of the north is exchanged Tor
'st oxygen Of the tropical regions, ana thu
lie healthful equilibrium Is maintained III
T air when our plants and trees are uoriha
Is, But this argument for the utility OF tr
ny and plants stops not with their aclion
IRE tn. air. They go down into the earth
M there. by a network of fine hbrous no
ui that traverses the soil In every direct
las feed ON the organic matter which wol
1t- otherwise undergo decomposition only
We nollute the soil add then, by caplh
, L sclion he carried 10 the surface TO VIII
IRE the air and water.
en- The very substances Of the earth that
ng, offensive and hurtful TO man are dllIger
ng sought for By the roots OF growing trees
A. their natural nutriment. Trees do NOR
ew they absorb from the earth excess Of M
ture and thus drain the soil, and agi
when the air is parched with neat. I
Ouy exhale moisture in its purest state
you Thus the process OF publication, IL ca
air and water. IS carried on by the ac
.oat agency OF trees and plants. Hence, Il
up indispensibIe service in the ccnserva
5. Of a pure and healthy atmosphere,
esneci .Ilv in towns and cities where u
is an accumulation of garbage, and WI
8. eyerv sewer. alley and backyard
,ino laboratory for terminating poison to
80 the air or pollute the soil and sur
e is water.
sIth Man may violate human law ano
oar. unpunished. but the laws OF nature W
. r. have been established in infinite Wis
ome can neither be violated or dlsrega
Zinc without mourning their natural pen
imp To DESTROY. or to be destitute OF forest
the in the neighborhood OF our dwelling pi
for il manifestly violation OF liked mai
law. and the penalty sooner or later tol
az a every such violation, in severity, ACT
i az ing to the nature of the locality.
,aral Besides health, comfort enters int
iIn a problem oil human me do an
!. w. factor.
Nav During the heat of summer, whe
rave there to be found in all the field OF n
that an object that offers to man and beast
ever genuine comfort than one OF our MA
sY. cent shade trees?
Itters They lower the temperature OF tn,
a.aa, from the rays OF the sum- and