The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1905-02-21

The president of the Hail Cannon So
ciety of France. Joseph Chatillon, re-
ports some very decided achievements
in the way of defending crops from
hail by firing cannon.
The report deals with the experience
of twenty-eight cannon firing societies,
which used 462 cannon in a number of
storms. After each storm a report was
sent to the president Of the agricultural
SoRiety of the district. 1t was printed
and then distributed for correction to
all the farmers in the district visited by
the storm. During fifteen years before
any cannon were used the losses from
hail amounted to $2.572,316. These
figures were obtained from the public
Offices in which accounts were kept, as
the poorer grape growers were indemni-
fed from public fund for losses in
Cured by storms Mr.. Chatillon states
that the entire losses of the wine grow
ers were not compensated, and he
luluhS tldL luc IOldl OdludSCS
ed to not less than $3,OSS,OOO. During
the five years in which the cannon have
been in use the losses from hail in the
same department have aggregated
$3.50, 412 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.. Chatillon:
We base our confidence in the efficacy
of the firing on the fact that the thunder
and lightning ceased, the wind abated, and
the clouds disappeared under the firing of
the cannon, and a mild fall of rain and
soft snow succeeded. These facts are I'M
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 were used the hail
fell and caused serious damage. 1.-THE
communes not defended by cannon suf-
fered enormously" In speaking Of one
storm the report says:
This storm was literally arrested at the
east on the boundaries of the firing. In
the northwest and little distance from
the cannon a 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" 1t is stated that in one or
two other cOmmunes the firing was
commenced late and was ineffective,
but that it rendered the storm less
destructive in the adjoining communes
where it 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 it
with all it's force. At the large vine
yards the firing is heaviest at the bound
aries and very light in the center OF
the field
A hurricane on July % caused great
damage in Twenty-Five communes, en-
tirely desolating Lozanne and Belmont,
which had between them only fourteen
cannon Says Mr.. Chatillon:
This storm broke out at about O'Clock
in the afternoon over our field of cannon
and lasted about two hours. Suddenly.
after having attacked our defenses at Bull
ly and at ST. Germaine sur lArbresle, 1t
changed it's course to the east Then at
Lozanne it DETECTED to the northeast, con-
tinuing to cover it's passage with ruin and
disaster.
In general this report shows that cer.
tain sections fairly bristled with can
non, and, although there were many
fierce storms, the losses from hail, wind
and rain were infinitesimal The
French government officials do not con-
slider it fully established that cannon
firing protects crops against hail, but,
the landowners have unbounded faith
in it and are organizing for a more
thorough campaign in 1905.