374 THE CHEMISTRY OF CREATION. 



with the health and joy of all creation ! The 

 Fungi are a tribe of plants which grow best in 

 the dark ; and they are actually deleterious in 

 their influence on the air, absorbing oxygen, 

 and exhaling carbonic acid. It is therefore 

 certain that the influence of vegetation, when 

 in a healthy condition for in decay its effects 

 are deleterious improves the health of a 

 country, by its direct purifying influence upon 

 the atmosphere. 



Dr. Franklin, in a letter to Dr. Priestley, 

 upon the subject of the then recent discoveries 

 of the latter philosopher, says, " I hope this will 

 give some check to the rage of destroying trees 

 that grow near houses. I am certain, from 

 long observation, that there is nothing unhealthy 

 in the air of the woods ; for w r e Americans have 

 everywhere our country habitations in the 

 midst of woods, and no people on earth enjoy 

 better health."* Dr. Franklin's observations are 

 true, where the amount of. decay ing vegetation 

 does not produce a sufficient amount of malaria 

 and carbonic acid to turn the balance on the 

 other side ; since, in this case, the clearing a 

 country of superfluous trees, becomes a positive 

 gain to its sanitary condition. On the grand 



* From recent statistical facts, it appears that the Ame- 

 ricans do not " enjoy the best of health of any people :" the 

 English are more long-lived, and necessarily more healthy. 



