THE VALUE OF THE GUM TREE.

Clutha Leader, Volume I, Issue 40, 15 April 1875, Page 3

THE VALUE OF THE GUM TREE.

There is one portion of the wealth of Australia to the value of which the •attention of the world has been called, not by colonists, or. by our. countryman in the United Kingdom, but , by - tne French botanists and physicians. We refer to the Eucalyptus 'globulus, or blue-gum tree. : ' The fact; that this. tree has .been found to be of great value is not new to us, but a fuller, account of its, various uses has lately been put before the world. The 'Pall Mall Gazette,' of 16th January 1 last, gives some information as to the plantations t>f Eucalyptus in Algeria, J and the : reports made oh the subject' of its properties by several French- scientific writers. As long ago as 1792, M. ! ; Labillardiere, a French navigator, and . botanist,, first . published aU account' of the valuable properties of the blue-gum, and gave it the ad-ditional-name of " globulus^" on account of the globe or button, to which, flower is attached/ The name, calyptus", (well: covered or hidden), describes the seeds of the trees of this class. (the gums, and other 'species), as they are effectually covered and protected, by the well-fastened 'lid of the cup that holds them. Not much attention appears to have been paid to the information .given, by: M, Labillardiere, for it was in 1 834, forty-two ' years after his discovery, that the first seeds of the tree wererspwn in France. But from the date of /the occupation bf Algeria by the French, that is almost thirty-five years ago, several scientific medical men in that colony turned their attention to the subject. Dr Bodichon [ recommended , the introduction of this tree in Algeria as a defence against the attacks of fever and ague common in many parts of that colony, especially on the Plains' of Xe11... French, Spaniards, ( and Germans, are stricken down by the. miasma of these plains, and even theArabts and Kabyles were unable to stand,. against the unhealthy influences of the locality. Quinine, the only remedy accessible before, introduction /.of. the ;blue-gum, was so scarce that the poor . could not provide themselves with a supply*, of it.. The introduction of. . this.tree has proved an effectual remedy.. While 'growing, it purifies the atmosphere; and. a decoction or infusion of its. leaves furnishes a sure medicine. The "efforts of Dir Bodichon were seconded by Dr Berthiand, Dr Miergues, and M. Trbttier. Intermittent fever was more terrible in Algeria than 1 Arab marauders and, incendiaries, the , sirocco, locusts, ;or earthquakes. And now M. Trottier says his farm has, enjoyed freedom .from fevers, except in" two cases, "ever 'since . the. pknting„of_.these trees. The^ finid in Algeria that, in eight years the Eucalyptus globulus attains the height, only reached by. an., oak in 76 years, and that the wood is hard and durable, and every part of it contains properties of commercial value;' Dr Mier^nes, of Algeria, has made , twenty-four different preparations from this tree,, among which' are *' eucalypsintheY' a tonic of great use in fevers, consumption, rheumatism, and. scorfula j '*eucalyptol^" apill or lozenge' for throat or lung disease ; " eucaly plaster," a good substitute for court plaster. Then they have eucalyptus tea, eucalyptus cigarettes,^ soap, wine^ and oil. Having found out the good qualities of this tree 1 , the French have planted it largely in Algeria, where it forms ah advanced guard soh the desert^ and enables th 6 colonists to gain-^gradually upon the ■ desolate' Sahara, . It has -been found equally efficacious in Corsica, where, during a winter^ancl sumnier of inter-^ mittent fever y Dr Regulas Carlotti tested, the healing properties of ah infusion and. decoction of th'fe' leaves of the tree. "Dr Tedeschi, who was induced to follow the" example of Dr Carlotti, ■' writes thus of the result : "I am like St. Thomas, and .wish to convince myself by trial, before ;declar- : Ing lnyT opinions about tha ;.Eu^aiy.rjtus.; The results Have be'eti 'satisfactory. Lßemember, I have never used the newj medicines except in eases which 'quinine' had failed to cure. • There have been! failures and relapses, hut the. number: of; cures is large enough to place the decoc-tion-of^UcßtyptttS'"^ssid^ quinine as a tonic." Thereis noreason to suppose that the proper ties wfiicfcTbese me^al men •nave fdhnd iii! one* 'species 6l i: the v 'glimtree are confined" to the blue-gum. It is'believecP tlat bthef r ' species'* of tlie same "class - are equally valuable;^ It r is \ time ,wb were jnp^e aUye^tp the-yahieof; the materials t^t* are gro^ing.arpund; us" in l ' abundance, .ani^ "^ake (some; thought for therr^appiicatiori' to usefrtl! purposes, and -the 1^ perpetuatioTi of the i supply. The Americans have obsessed j the valuable qnalitigsjof the Australian ironbark, and .have planted hundreds of thousands „bi' 'M&i ,'tree-in_Califhrnia. .