New-York tribune., 1908-10-25
Il PICKLE MOON.
Friendly to Apples, Hostile to Pears.
Says French Peasant.


In the agricultural annals Of France the cur
rent year viii be remembered for several most
unusual characteristics The champagne crop
has been entirely destroyed and there have been
practically no pears though the apple crop has
been plentiful There have been no wasps and
comparatively few flies. II Cunisset Carnot,
the distinguished writer agricultural sub
jects in the Temps" has endeavored to obtain
an explanation Of some Of these phenomena BY
consulting the peasants themselves He de-
clares that there is no means of explaining why
in the same field and growing under the same
conditions a perfectly healthy pear tree and an
apple tree should differ absolutely from each
other in the matter of yield. One fruit grower
told NJ. Carnot that this was due to the
The favored apples, but hostile to
pears To the objection made by NJ. Carnot that
this did not account for some trees being mors
or less favored than others, the only reply he
got What would you? Thai IS how 1t Ia
M Carnot confesses himself unable TO dts-
cover any satisfactory explanation Of thin
phenomenon, and the total absence Of wasps
this year is equally mysterious In Normandy.
which is the fruit garden not only OF the North
Of France and Of Paris but of London the rela-
tive failure Of the pear crop has been serious
matter. To cope with contingencies Of this kind
local congresses are held, at which all questions
I
out, the peasants relating their experiences
while professors specially deputed by the Mn
lister of Agriculture explain, SO far as they can,
the problems presented TO them. and give lect-
ures on improved systems Of tree culture and
the best methods Of dealing with the diseases OF
trees and the pests by which they are attacked
One Of these local congresses has just COZ ne to
ar end at Vernon, which is in the centre cf the
fruit growing district of Normandy. and Is
famed for its fruits de luxe. The question raised
which created the most interest was in connec-
tion with the transport OF fruit. The Normans
have already devised very ingenious methods for
packing their fruit for transport to Paris and
London, and exhibition of the materials used
formed a section Of the fruit show by which
these congresses are always accompanied. Tho
s stem most generally adopted is that Of LITTLE
round bundles, from four 70 SIX inches long, Of
dried grass, enveloped in muslin. which arc
wcdgeG in between and around each article, the
fruit itself being enveloped IL muslin and laid
OF d bed Of dry grass covered with muslin
This Hrecaution makes it impossible for the fruit
t. receive any serious shock however roughly
the box containing it may he handled and the
box is damp proof and a. -i5nt.
Complaints were made that the fruit growers
of the Vernon district We're not properly treated
by the Western Railway Company which WAS
accused Of Ievylng excess rates. Of delay IN de-
livery and Of lacking the necessary transport
material The government representatives AZ
the congress are sure t. take good note Of these
protests. as also Of the wish expressed unanI-
uously by the congress that a chair Of abort
culture he established for that region IN the
valley Of the Seine which extends from Nantes
TO Rouen. It then decided that il every
electoral district an examining committee should
be appointed whose duty it would be to deliver
deners.
The Vernon congress ended with one Of those
charming rustic fetes. of which the French peas