St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1900-06-02
One Dollar q Year.

La, rs second-class matter
One Dollar q Year.
Science May Study the
Ozone Belt.
Mr.. Blythe, OF the weather bu.
reau, has Of late been bombarded
with inquiries, from official and un-
official sources, relative to ozone
and the ozone belt. There
seems to have been evident, recent
IL, . concerted desire to find out the
amount of ozone in the atmosphere
Of that part OF Louisiana popularity
known ~ s'the piny woods" whose
pure healthy properties are on re-
cord for years past; for it is we'll
known that yellow fever has never
crossed The pine belt, and tia: Cow
inston, Madisonv:lle and the whole
extent of St. Tammany parish, La. j,
endowed with pine forests, have
always been remarkably free from
fevers, and that the climate is excel
tent for consumptives.
This immunity from pathogenic
microbes is believed to be due to
presence of ozone in the air. It is
generally supposed that this particu-
lar gas is present in larger quantities
in the pine regions Of Louisiana
than anywhere else. Whether this
is due to the hygienic virtues Of
exhalations and exuldations from
the pine trees, or to some other
special property OF the air in that
iocality, nobody seems to know. Il
the pines exert this salutary indu-
ence, then how is it that other To-
calities, also having pine forests,
are not similarly healthy?
Just what has started this present
inquiry about ozone and the ezone
belt, Mr.. Blythe does not know, but
he says that he had heard Of the
ozone belt of Louisiana, and tried
to ascertain II any expert ment had
been made to determine the quantity
Of ozone in the atmosphere Of the
Louisiana pine woods region.
Private citizens, corporations
and scientific men have been seeking
information from Mr.. Blythe, and
he in turn has been endeavoring to
get facts on the subject.
Mr.. Blythe has met with little
success in his search. No ex-
periments have ever been made to
find out the relative proportion Of
ozone in the pine lands Of this
state, although in works. tracts
and advertising documents and cir
culars the word ''ozone" is often
insisted on as . great factor in the
hygienic properties Of the air Of
Covington and other places.
It is believed that science will
be called on to furnish laboratory
1t or near Covington, for the pur-
pose Of analyzing the constituents
OF the air,
\ prominent corporation has Of
tered to bear all expenses OF chem
lists, laboratory and experiments il
the United States government will as
sis. in the matter.
It is strange. indeed, that with
oil the talk about the health giving
properties OF Louisiana pine lands,
there has never been made . single
scientific test OF the air for tue de.
termination OF the proportion Of
ozone 10 it.
Extraordinary curative and pre-.
sentative virtues are being claimed
for ozone. and the question Is Why
not find out about it when chem ists
have the means OF doing so?
Ozone is chemically obtained by
submitting oxygen to the action Of
electricity. especially to silent dis
charges, which cause it to undergo
. contraction in volume and to &C
quire different properties, and to
have it's chemical activity greatly
enhanced. The name s'ozone" is
Of Greek origin, aud means Ito
smell" on account Of the peculiar
oder OF the gas. Traces Of ozone
are usually present ia the oren
country, and It no doubt plays an
N important part in the removal Of
the organic impurities from the It
mosphere.
There are several ways OF detect
ing The presence OF ozone in the
atmosphere. The moss used is the
reaction with potassium iodine.
But the liberation Of iodine from
potassium iodide is not alone sufa-
Gent proof, however, OF the pres
euUe Of ozone. BY comparing at dif-
fsrent times the depth Of color pro-
duced on exposing slips Of paper
moistened with starchcd paste and
potassium iodide solution 10 the air
for the ozone, same length of time,
m estimate Of the relative amount
AZ ozone nfeeent NAV ~ obtained