86 

 EUCALYPTUS GLOBOSUS. 



This Australian tree has been planted quite extensively 

 at the South, including Texas. It will not endure more 

 cold than the orange ; hence it will not thrive in the open 

 air in the interior of the State. In its native land it has a 

 moist and warm climate. 



China tree {Melia azederach) is very hardy throughout 

 the State. It grows rapidly, and will thrive in almost 

 every variety of soil. Its wood is durable, making good 

 fence posts. A writer in one of the cotton States east of 

 the Mississippi river has lately recommended the china tree 

 for hedges, saying that live fences of it can be made with, 

 one-fifth the expense that would be required for any other 

 fence. There is no doubt but that live fence posts can be 

 had in from three to five years by sowing the seed in a drill 

 where the fence is walited. In Texas it will be necessary 

 to protect the young plants from cattle. 



TREE PLANTING 



Ought to be encouraged throughout a large portion of the 

 western part of the State. Much has been written during 

 the last few years of the effect of trees on the rain fall, 

 some saying they increase it, others that they do not. 

 Experiments to test the question, lately made in France, 

 seem to show that trees do really increase the rain fall. 

 If the leaves of trees attract and diffuse moisture, so also 

 do the leaves of growing plants, cotton, corn, etc. In cen- 

 tral and western Texas, there has been a large addition to 

 the cultivated area during the last fifteen years, and so 

 also has there been an increase in the rain fall. 



EFFECTS OF FORESTS ON HEALTH. 



It seems to be generally known by scientific observers, 

 , that , forests or even a few trees are beneficial by checking 

 miasmatic vapors. In certain localities in Europe, es- 

 pecially Italy, screens of trees have protected the inhabi- 

 tants from fevers, which were prevalent near marshes on 

 the other side of th^m. Certain commissioners in Tus- 

 cany advised the planting' of rows of white poplars to 

 intercept the currents of air from malarious districts. 

 Large plantations have been planted in the alluvial soUs 



