Clarksville evening chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn) 1886-1890, 1888-11-15
TREES, SANITARY INFLUENCE.
Their Relation to Dwelling Houses and
to Individual ueaItsa.

FOR the last lew years PUBIC aJtentlon
has been quite frequently called to the
influence of trees upon climate. The
special issue Of the United States agricul-
tural department on forestry, and many
ether contributions, have shown bow
rainfall is affected. how the balance of
the atmosphere is disturbed and how
climate changes from tho extended and
rapid removal Of forests. There is an
other study of trees allied to this which
has reference to their relation to houses
and to individual health.
Both the atmosphere and the soil are
cooled and moistened by the presence Of
trees. This results from the drawing up
of the water from the subsol and from
the exclusion of the suns rays. Besides
this, considerable portion of the rain
fall collects ON the leaves and branches.
M. Fantiat has shown that the LEAKAGE
Of leaf-bearing trees intercepts one-third
and that of pine trees one-haR of the
rainfall, which il afterward returned to
the atmosphere b. evaporation. On the
other hand, these same leaves and
branches restrain the evaporation of the
water which reaches the ground. This
evaporation is nearly four times less
under mass of foliage in forest, and
2 Is times under mass Of pines, than
in the open" Then we have stagnation
of air from that interruption Of wind
currents caused by the foliage.
1t is, therefore not without reason
that the sanitarian studies the trees of
the yard or lawn in their bearing upon
Individual health. Persons of suscepti-
BILE lungs, or having any tendency to
rheumatism, need to be carefully guarded
against such influences. Where the foil
are is dense about houses, or where the
limbs overshadow the piazzas or roof,
they become the storage places for damp,
unwholesome air. The falling leaves
gathering from year to year give cor
responding dampness to the soil, while ut
time of foliage the sunshine is measure
bly, excluded. 1t is pretty evident til
mankind was not intended TO be reared
in the woods. The influence Of trees in
causing malaria, or in SO interceptinS 1t
as to have it tarry among them, has long
been known. "A dry garden on gravel
of three acres in extent in Surrey, sur
rounded by trees is generally three or
six degrees colder than tho open COM
mon beyond the trees, and a large pond
in pine wood twenty miles from Lon
don afforded skating for ninety consecu-
tive days il the winter of 1856, while
during the greater part of the time the
lakes in the London parks were free from
ice.
We know with what interest the lover
OF trees watches the growth of those
planted by his own hand, and how many
are apt to be scattered about the new
home mansion. As years go on, and
their growth and foliage increase, the
owner is 10th to remove them or severely
to shorten their branches. If so, there
is great danger that the dry soil and once
comfortable home will come to be the
dampest and least desirable spot in the
neighborhood. A recent careful writer
has given the following sensible direction
as to tree planting as it bears upon the
conditions of health: "A tree should not
stand so near n house that if ii were to
fall it would fall upon the house,
or, in other words, the trunk
should be as far from the house
as the height of the tree. Belts of
trees may be planted on tho north and
east aspects Of houses, but on the east
side the trees should not be SO near
nor SO high as to Keep the morning sun
from the bedroom windows in tho shorter
days of the year. On the south and west
aspects of houses, isolated trees only
should be permitted, SO that there may
be free access of the sunshine and of the
west winds to the house and grounds.
High wall and palingS on these aspects
arc also Objectionable, and should be re-
placed by fences, or, better still, by open
palings, especially if the houses are &C.
cupied during the fall Of the leaf and III
the winter.
Trees for planting should be chosen in
the following order: Conifers, birch,
acacia, beech oak, elm, lime and poplar.
For our American homes we must add
the maple, the ash and the tulip tree, or
American poplar, although the dense
foliage # the maple Is sometimes OBJ
iec.ion2blr. Pho trees collect the
greatest amount Of rainfall and permit
the freest evaporation from the ground,
while their DlanChlesS stems offer the
least Cptofee Oh fGSlSiailCe 10 llc IItcIdi
circulation OF the air. ACacias, oaks and
Lirchcs are late to burst into leaf, and
therefore allow the ground to be warmed
by tho sun 5 RAYS in the early spring. The
elm, line and cheshlut arc the least &c
sirabe kind Of trees to plant near houses.
They comc into leaf early and cast
their leaves early, SO that they exclude
the spring sun and do not afford much
shade in the hot autumn months, when
it is often reCSired. Trees are of value
in indicating choice of residence. Rich
foliage, ferns and moses tell Of damp
ness and alluvial deposits. Flowers and
fruit trees point to dry and sunny site.
Children will be healthicst where most
flowers grow, and old people will live
longest where our common fruits ripen
best. Pines and their companions, the
birches, indicate sandy or gravel soil,
elns rich and somewhat damp
soil, oaks and ashes heavy clay, pop
lars and willows low, damp or 1aarshy
soil. Let then our aesthetics be tenn
pered by our desires for health, end
choice and abundance of trees be adapted
to Our sanitary needs. Medical Classics.