The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-10-22
"Overrnn with weeds.y

Editor Morning News: l see that Alder
man Krouskoff is finding fault with so
many weeds growing in our city. He is
no doubt moved more by sight and
taste for the beautiful than for the laws
OF health To understand and know the
laws of nature is TO know how to prevenl
disease, not to cure It. Prevention of dis
ease Is the greatest of all medical science
and the time will come when physicians
will give less medicine and pay more at
tention to the direct laws of health
As to weeds, if they are green and Wig
orous, they are healhtful. They may not
look pretty, or inviting, but they are use
tul. Like frog in a garden or a lizard
they do not look attractive The frog ana
lizard are wonderfully useful in destroy,
ing the worms and bugs which prey upol.
the vegetables or flowers, To protect
garden get plenty Of frogs and cut worms
and bugs will be few.
Many things which we consider a nui-
sance or evil are a positive good If we
but knew it. All growing weeds absorb
in the fall the barbonic acid gas which
arises from the ground; it means health;
II means purifying the atmosphere, ana
the giving off of oxygen gas which lis
health and life.
What are The laws of nature in respect
to vegetation Of all kinds2 WHY do trees
and flowers help to make city or county
air wholesome? Because trees and flowers
absorb carbonic acid generated by the
lungs OF animals, putrid substances and
other noXious eXhalatiOns and, 2 trees
flowers and weeds restore to the air the
oxygen, which man and other animals in
hales. The philosophy is simple when I'M
derstood and the more trees, flowers and
green vegetation we can have in the fall
the better the health. Stud our city with
trees which will keep green and leaves
nv
laugh at malaria air.
1t is only when we have long droughts
in the fall and the hot sun drawing from
the earth carbonic acid and the trees
ceasing to absorb through their leaves
that malaria fills the air. With plenty of
rain in the fall one need not fear malaria
in the air, The absorption or eVaporati ton
of water does not create malaria. Common
sense tells one that it is decaying vege-
table matter we have to fear To turn
up decaying vegetable matter in the sum
mer means sickness, hence the opening
of farms as all know are not healthy, and
not until the decaying vegetable matter
has been destroyed by time will fresh land
be wholesome to breathe The philosophy
of decay is simple. Decaying vegetable
matter combines in the following new
forms: !. The oxygen and hydrogen form
water. 2. The carbon unites with the oxy-
gen of the air and produces carbonic acid
gas.
So long, then, as there is rank growing
vegetable matter 1T is purifying the at
mosphere, but we must have enough Of
it. The drying of the swamps around Sa-
vannah and putting them under cultiva-
ton is a step in the right direction to have
a pure atmosphere.
Plant trees, have flower gardens. as
many as possible and we need not fear
malaria of any kind Study the laws of
nature and work in harmony with them
and health is assured.
Those who drink from wells should have
trees growing near by, for the roots of
the trees prevent any matter from getting
into the well. When we hear of a rain
fall of an inch, 1t means 100 tons of water
to the square acre. Do not fear water.
but decayng vegetable matter, for there
lies the danger in the fall months.
r. M o.