The San Francisco call., 1899-12-21
ROADSIDE FRUIT IN EUROPE.

NNE of the most interesting papers in the cur
| rent number OF Consular Reports is that con-
tainng an account by Hilary S. Brunot,
United States Consul at ST. Etienne, concerning the
which has attended the experiments OF various
European Governments in planting fruit or trees
along the country roads The movement began in
France, but has been followed elsewhere, until now
there considerable number OF districts in Ger
many and in the Duchy OF Luxemburg and Belgium
where quite is derived from these roadside
orchards.
In Wurtemberg the crop in 1873 yielded an income
valued at S2oo,oOo but since that time the number
OF additional trees coming into bearing has increased
the revenue than threefold In Saxony the an
nual income derived from fruit trees along the na-
tonal roads rose from $4,000 in 1880 TO $4,000 in
1892 amounting to total income OF $4,000 for the
thirteen years. Belgian statistics show that up to the
year 1894 there had been planted along the highways
OF that kingdom 1851 fruit trees which furnished
the road fund with amounting to $4,000 ooo
All that has been done in other countries, however,
is but trfe in comparison with what has been ac-
complished in France, where the production OF the
roadside trees is estimated at $4,000 900.
For the purpose OF providing proper care for the
trees the road supervisors and employees are care
fully instructed in horticulture The kinds OF trees
planted vary with the different districts In Southern
France the roads planted with species OF wild
cherry the fruit OF which is used for making wine,
alcohol and peculiar species OF preserves In
Touraine plum trees prevail, in Lmagne the walnut,
in Auvergne the chestnut and in Normandy the apple
tree.
1t is TO be noted that these state economies so far
from being denounced as an unfair governmental
competition with private enterprise were brough,
about in France mainly by demand OF the orchard
lists themselves. Consul Brunot says: Some twenty
years ago the picturesque roads OF Northeastern
France were lined with stately poplars, but although
ornamental their roots went far and wide rendering
the adjacent fields sterile and plows were continually
stopped by oTshoots lying almost on the surface OF
the soil. The farmers appealed in such strong terms
that the communes decided the fall OF the poplar and
the roads cleared OF these trees in favor Of the
humble but useful mirabelle "a small plun)
and thousands OF baskets OF this fruit are shipped to
Paris daily"
Another interesting point is that the increase OF the
output Of fruit OF this kind so far from injuring the
orchard-owners, led to the development OF new
industry, for when the crops OF mirabeles proved too
large TO be handled in the ordinary way French in
genuity set to work 10 find new method OF
handling them with the result that large quantities
now distilled, and the alcohol slightly perfumed
finds an increasing sale at increasing price Five or
six years ago the product sold in Paris for from
20 to 80 cents quart, but now it cannot be obtained
for less than so cents and the finer grades bring 81
quart
The facts are mainly interesting as illustrations Of
the extent to which economies being practiced in
the heavily taxed countries OF Europe The income
derived by the communes from the trees is an i'm
portant addition to the road funds. The vast urban
populations afford market for an almost unlimited
quantity OF fruit, and hence the success OF the under
taking wherever it has been tried