The Florida star., 1905-02-24
r7azr OFF HAIL WITH cAxxos

The president Of the Han Cannon 90
ciety of France. Joseph chatiiicn. 70
ports some very decided achievements
In the way % defending crops from
hsil BY arfng cannon
The report deals with the experience
Of twenty eight cannon firing societies.
which used x62 cannon in a number Of
storms After each storm 4 report was
sent 20 the president Of the agricultural
society OF the district Ii was printed
and then distributed for correction 10
all the farmers in the district visited by
the storm During fifteen wars before
any cannon were used the losses from
hail amounted to S2572.316- These
figures were obtained from the public
oc6ces in which accounts were kept. as
the poorer grape growers were indemni-
ned from a public fund for losses in
CURED by storms Mr. Chatilion states
that the entire losses OF the wine grow
ers were not compensated and he
thinks that the total damages amount
ed 10 not iess than $s.OSs.OOo. During
the Eve years In which the cannon have
been in use the losses from hail in the
same department have aggregated
s15e.4l2 During the year 1904 these
same sixteen cOmmunes sustained no
losses whatever. a fact which is at
tributed entirely TO the use of the can
non. Says Mr. ChatiIIon:
We base our confidence IN the enncacy
II the nring on the fact that the thunder
and lightning erased. the wind Hhated. and
the clouds disappeared under the firiuE Of
the cannon. and q mild fall Of rain and
soft snow succeeded These facts are IN
deniable.
The report reviews the results OF the
firing in twenty eight storms during
the months OF April. May, June. July
and September. The results are gener-
ally the same-Cessation of the thunder
and lightning. dispersion OF the clouds
and a slight fall OF rain and snow.
Where no cannon We're used the hail
fell and caused serious damage. The
communes not defended by cannon suf
fered enormously" In -aking OF one
stOrm the report says:
This storm was literally arrested at the
east on the boundaries OF the nrinE. In
the northwest and little distance from
the cannon q hurricane swept over the
country with violence. everywhere causing
great damage
The mayor Of one commune writes
that the firing was useless in his sec-
ton on account OF the small number OF
cannon" IL is stated that ia one OF
two other cOmmunes the firing was
commenced late and was ineffective.
but that IL rendered the storm less
destructive in the adjoining communes
where Il occurred later. This was In
an Isolated section of the country where
there were no cannon In the adjoining
communes- and the storm fell upon II
with all its force At the large vine
yards the firing IL heaviest At the bound
aries and very light IN the center Of
the held.
4 hurricane on July 80 caused great
damage I'm twenty nine communcS. On
tirely desoIatIuS Lozanne and Belmont.
which lad between them only fourteen
cannon Says Mr.. ChatillOn.
This storm broke out at about = o'c.ocA
In the afternoon over our field II cannon
and lasted about two hours Suddenly.
after ~ Wing attacked our dsfrIs.s az E'..-
Is and at ST GgrmaiEe sur ] Arb--sl~. -
changed It's course 10 the east Then at
I>nZnnne IL detected TO the northeast con-
JinUiuE to cover its passage with r=lin aad
disaster
In general this report shows that CeT-
tain sections fairly bristied with can
non. and. although there were many
herCe storms. the losses from hail. wind
and rain were innniteSimaL The
French government officials do not con
sis!s- IL fully established that cannon
firing protects crops against hail but
the landowners have untouHdef faith
in IL and are organizing FOR U40-e
thorough campaign IN 1906.