For out-door culture Australia offers but little to the Eastern United States; but
some eucalyptus and acacia may be utilized for South California, Arizona and Southern
Texas; but E. amygdalina, E. parviflora and E. Gunnii, (all tall timber trees), may
endure winters of yours in more northern States, as they adorned the Australian Alps.
The Italians under the leadership of Count Torelli,
I have recommended to plant Eucalyptus on the malarian, forbidden swamps near Rome,
after E. globulus (but only in its young sappy state), was largely destroyed by the
unusually severe winter cold of the year before last. But this time the experiment
is made with E. amygdalina, the richest oil-yielder of all eucalyptus, and one which
will live in a cold climate where no E. globulus will stand through the winter months.
For timber, however, the E. amygdalina is far inferior to E. globulus and many other
sorts. E Gunnii and E. parviflora yield good timber, but their hygienic value is not
equal to that of E. amygdalina, and the growth of none of them is as fast as that
of E globulus; still they are all trees of comparative celerity of growth, especially
in somewhat humid soil. I still believe, that much might be done to subdue the yellow
fever of New Orleans and other southern places in the States, if all back-yards were
planted with eucalyptus; but should the climatic condition not admit of it, I would
earnestly impress on all concerned to plant your most terebinthine pines at New Orleans,
and by the millions. Their volatile oil acts much like that of the eucalyptus, as
from its emanations originate dioxyde of hydrogen and ozone, the most powerful oxydisers
and therefore destroyers of microorganism and the gases in which they dwell. I have
given officially the same advice to Holland for trying to suppress the miasmatic exhalations
which cause the marsh-fever there;
and I have sent the eucolyptography
to the National Board of Health of North America, so that my views on the hygienic
value of the eucalyptus (and pines) have become known to the Board.
Perhaps you are inclined to take up this important question in your highly valuable
and widely circulating Monthly.
I am engaged on determining at present the percentage of volatile oil in the twigs
(leaves and young bark and young wood) of various pines, as this has an important
bearing on the sanitary value of each species of fir.
