The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-04
EAT OUR APPLES.
THE GERMAN PROHIBITION HAS
BEEN MUOH MODIFIED.

Practically All Our Fresh Fruit MAY NOV,
Eater That Ceuntry-TestIunony to the Ex-
~ceiience and Popularity or Our Apples In
commandments to the Native Fruit.
Special Gable Dsspatches to THE Sun.
BERLIN, Feb. 3-Tho Bundesrath to-day made
an important decision in the matter Of tho Gov
ernment's prohibition OF the importation of
American fruits. BY this decision only fresh
fruit containing the plant louise called the
schildlaus is prohibited, but damaged fruit and
plants are entirely prohibited. Dried fruits are
not affected by the Governments order. To-
days modification OF the decree by tho Bundles
rath Is practically a back down.
Tho Cologne Gazette says the Finance Minister
telegraphed tho order of prohibition to the Gus
tom House at Emmerich on Jan. 80 with in.
structiona that thereafter all consignments of
American fresh fruit should BIO sent back to the
United States. The Hamburg Senate received
the order Of prohibition on Jan. 81. 1t lie be-.
loved that tho possible retaliation on the part
OF tho United States influenced to.day's action
Of the Bundesratb.
LONDON, Fob. 3.-Mr. W. N. White Of this
city. one OF tho largest importers of American
fresh fruit. to-day told tho correspondent of
THE SUN that he sends the same class of fruit
to Germany that no receives in England, and
that 1t does not bear a trace of disease or YER
min. He added that the embargo was an OBJ
vious pretcxt to secure protection for German
fruit or was laid in retaliation for tho American
tariff on sugar.
Mr.. White further said that he attended the
recent exhibition Mt Hamburg, and found that
California fruit was greatly appreciated. lie
learned that great strides had been made by
the importers of American fruit in capturing
the German markets..
Compared with the same class of German
freah fruit raCaivod In Ippdon Mr. Vhffa do
clared that ho found the California fruit far
superior. Herr Weinhagen. one of the largest
merchants In Berlin, recently bought 10000
cases of Oregon apples, for which he paid high
prices.
WASHINGTON wANTs FULLER
WASHINGTON. Feb. 3.-The State Department
is still without detailed information in regard
to tho decree prohibiting the importation of
American fruits into Germany. 1t has ascer-
tained from Ambassador White, who sent q
S STis s1c cable in response to an inquiry ! telesraphedd
ucts is American" thus indicating, as the
tion Of the embargo to fru is from ali countries
In the Western Hemisphere. The American
cable the full text of the decree, and until he re-
spends the department will not be able to give q
definite Interpretation Of the discriminating
From information received recently from
diplomatic and consular officers OF the United
States. and the statements in press dispatches.
tho department has ascertained that the reason
given for the exclusion WINS the fear that Ger
man fruit trees would contract the disease
known as the San jose scale, which played such
havoc In California a few years ago; The scale
Is In reality a tiny parasite, which multiplies
rapidly, in the bark Of deciduous trees and even
tually kills them. 1t is particularly fatal to
91pple, peach. orange. and plum growths., Its
discovery caused CONSERVATION among fruit
growers. A scientific Investigation was made
BY noted entomologists all over tho world. and
the fact was developed that the scale had
been known in Australia foc q long time. but
the American lady bug; About 200 Of these
lady bugs were imported to this country from
Australia. and they have proved fatal to the
pest in the sections where they have been dis.
tributed. The peach tree appears to be the
most popular prey OF the scale. One peculiar
thing. about the parasite is that 1t does not
place to another in shipment. For that reason
the State Department officials believe that Ger
many's objection Is not we'll taken.
The German Ambassador was at the State
Department to-day, and the matter was brought
to his attention. He said he knew nothing about
the decree. Tho negotiations for reciprocity
still on, but it is likely that this Government
will decline to treat further IL the fruit prohibi.
tion 10 not revoked or modified.