Hygiene Influences. 347 



the 125,000 acres needing reforestation urgently only 

 58,300 acres had been planted at an expense of 

 $1,340,000. 



In 1910, conditions seem not to have much im- 

 proved, for again a vigorous attempt at re-organization 

 and improvement on the law of 1877 was made by 

 the Minister of Agriculture; so far without result. 



It is to be noted that Italy is perhaps the only 

 country where forest influence on health conditions 

 was legally recognized, by the laws of 1877 and 1888. 

 The belief that deforestation of the maremnae, the 

 marshy lowlands between Pisa and Naples, had pro- 

 duced the malarial fever which is rampant here, led 

 the Trappist monks of the cloister at Tre Fontane to 

 make plantations of Eucalyptus (84,000) beginning 

 in 1870, the State assisting by cessions of land for the 

 purpose. A commission, appointed to investigate 

 the results, in 1881, threw doubt on the effectiveness 

 of the plantation, finding the observed change in 

 health conditions due to improvement of drainage; 

 and lately, the mosquito has been recognized as the 

 main agency in propagating the fever. The new pro- 

 positions, however, did not any more recognize this 

 claimed influence as a reason for public intervention. 

 Incidentally it may be stated that to two Italians is 

 due the credit of having found the true cause of salu- 

 briousness of forest air, namely in the absence of 

 pathogenic bacteria. 



3. Education and Literature. 



The first forest school was organized by Balestrieri, 

 who had studied in Germany, at the Agricultural 



