ROADSIDE FRUIT IN EUROPE.

The cultivation of fruit trees along the highways of France is being extended each year. The Government having first set the example, the communes in certain departments adopted this practice as a source of revenue, so that now roadside-fruit cultivation has become an important branch of national industry.

It is not, however, only in France that fruit trees have been. planted along the roadside; in Germany, Belgium, and the Duchy of Luxemburg, the system has been greatly developed, giving satisfaction to the state as well as to local interests. On the roads of Würtemberg, for instance, the fruit harvest from this source produced in 1878 over $200,000, and last year the return had more than trebled. The annual revenue derived from the national roads of Saxony planted with fruit trees rose from $9,000 in 1880 to $42,000 in 1892, furnishing a total sum of $340,000 for the thirteen years.

In Belgium, according to the statistics of 1894, over 4,630 kilometers of roads were planted with 741,571 fruit trees, which furnished the almost incredible sum of $2,000,000. In France, the production of fruit trees is estimated at $60,000,000.

In Westphalia, in the duchies of Baden and Saxe-Weimar, in Alsace-Lorraine, Switzerland, etc., the employees of the administration of roads and bridges and the road supervisors are instructed in fruit arboriculture. In some of the southern departments of France the roads are bordered with cherry trees, producing the small fruit called merise (wild cherry) much appreciated for making wine sui generis, preserves, and even alcohol.

In the Touraine, plum trees dominate; while in the Allier and the Limagne, the walnut trees transform the roads into shady walks. In Auvergne, the chestnut tree flourishes; while in Normandy, place is naturally given to the apple tree.

Some twenty years ago, the picturesque roads of the northeast of France were lined with stately poplars; but, although ornamental, their roots went far and wide, rendering the adjacent meadows sterile, and plows were continually stopped by offshoots lying almost at the surface of the soil. The farmers appealed in such strong terms that the communes decided the fall of the poplar, and soon axes and saws were brought into requisition and the roads cleared of these trees in favor of the humble, but more useful, mirabelle (small plum), to the great satisfaction of the villagers. Thousands of baskets of this fruit are shipped to Paris daily.

Some thirty years ago, the distillation of the mirabelle was unknown in the country districts; the people plucked it as food for their swine; but to-day, they have learned to make more profitable use of it. They distill it in large quantities and find a ready market for it. A quart of this alcohol, slightly perfumed, sold five or six years ago for only 20 or 30 cents; to-day, it brings not less than 50 or 60 cents, while in Paris the best kind can not be obtained under $1. HILARY S. BRUNOT,

ST. ETIENNE, August 10, 1899.

Consul.

STREET-CAR STRIKE IN NANTES.

Three weeks ago, all the employees of the tramways of Nantes quit work and demanded an increase in wages, an opportunity for promotion, three holidays during each month, and a decrease in the daily hours of service. After a week's idleness, work was resumed, the men having been conceded nearly all they demanded.

The cars are propelled by compressed air. The men who ma

nipulate the machinery from the front platforms of the cars are called conductors, and those who collect the tickets and punch the same are known as receivers. The fare is not uniform for all distances, as is the case in most American cities, but passengers are charged so much per section-2 sous, or about 2 cents, for one section, a distance of nearly a mile; three sous for two sections; and so on until 6 sous are charged, which is the maximum price for the entire route, being a distance of about 4 miles. The cars are not so well patronized as those in American cities, and the service is poorer, persons being often obliged to wait ten or fifteen minutes for a car.

Previous to the strike, the men were obliged to work twelve or fifteen hours per day. The conductors received 4 francs (77 cents) per day, and those of the first grade 4.50 francs (87 cents) per day. Receivers were paid 3 francs (58 cents) for the second grade, and 3.50 francs (68 cents) for the first grade. The tram cars stop running at 9.30 in the evening, and resume business at 6 in the morning, the same men being on duty during the entire time. After several conferences between the company and the employees, the service was resumed, the company agreeing to pay the following prices:

The men have been granted three holidays during each month, but without pay, and twelve hours are considered a day's work. During the strike no riots occurred, but no attempt was made to start the cars, although the company claimed that new men could have been procured for the service.

NANTES, August 7, 1899.

No. 230 4.

JOSEPH I. BRITTAIN,

Consul.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY IN BORDEAUX.

American manufacturers of electric-railway supplies may find it. to their interest to note the fact that the Tram and Omnibus Company of Bordeaux, a company having the exclusive right to operate street cars and omnibuses in this city, whose charter had still several years to run, has recently sold out to a new company, which will operate under a new charter. It is understood that the old company is to receive 12,000,000 francs ($2,316,000) for its property and rights for the unexpired term of its charter, stockholders being allowed the option of stock in the new company on favorable terms instead of cash. The former company was English, with headquarters in London; the new one is French. The chairman of the

As

board of directors is M. Mercet, 10 rue de Londres, Paris. It is understood that the present managing director, M. Bretherton, will continue to hold the same position under the new management. the legal formalities are not yet complete, the terms of the new concession can not be given. It is understood, however, that they require an immediate increase of the service in the city and vicinity, and that the new company will at once proceed to substitute electric power for horsepower, which has been used heretofore. Information can be obtained by addressing M. Bretherton, managing director, Tram and Omnibus Company, rue Tivoli, Bordeaux, France.

BORDEAUX, September 4, 1899.

ALBION W. TOURGÉE,

Consul.

NEW USE FOR AMERICAN DRIED APPLES IN

FRANCE.

It is a curious fact that the consumption of wine in France is steadily diminishing. This results from a variety of causes, prominent among which is a general belief among the common people that the product of the vine is apt to be deleteriously adulterated. Whether this is true or not, it is a matter of such universal comment that they naturally make it an excuse for discarding wine and indulging in a beverage which they declare is too cheap for anybody to dream of adulterating. Their first resort was to the product of the apple and pear orchards of Normandy and Brittany. In 1895, the consumption of cider in Paris amounted to 10,000,000 gal

lons, but in consequence of the bad apple harvests of 1896 and 1897, this fell in 1898 to an utterly insignificant figure.

The importation of cider to meet the demand was impossible, because of the prohibitive duties of 8. 50 francs per hectoliter, amounting with the octroi duty to about 16 cents a gallon in Paris. Of course, no man could pay a tax of 4 cents a quart and furnish a drink cheap enough to meet the demand for cider, which could not be diluted to any extent with water and retain its peculiar "tang.” It became necessary, therefore, to find a substitute.

With the English or American taste, this substitute would probably have been found in a sort of beer or some mere alcoholic product. But the Frenchman, if he is not addicted to absinth, usually cares little for the alcoholic character of his favorite tipple. What he wants is, not to become intoxicated, but to have a pleasant drink which he can sip by the hour in company with his friends at the buvette. Two things are essential-first, it must have a pleasant, fruity flavor (if a little piquant, so much the better); and, second, it must not make too heavy a drain upon his purse. The bourgeois rarely allows his palate to make him forget his pocket. Cheapness and briskness are essential elements of a popular drink for the French people.

Out of these conditions, aided by the genius of some unknown mixer of drinks in Paris, was evolved "piquette," a sparkling, fruity beverage, composed of dried apples, raisins, and water, allowed to stand until fermentation takes place and then bottled, with the addition of a little sugar, or served directly from the cask. Two cents a glass is the ordinary charge at the buvette for this spicy and, as a rule, harmless beverage. A franc (20 cents) will furnish a man a "treat" which is good for a two hours' sitting at the buvette, but hardly develops enough alcoholic influence to perceptibly reduce the ordinary liveliness of the tongue.

The following is the receipt given me for its preparation by one. of the leading manufacturers of Bordeaux:

PIQUETTE.

Five pounds of raisins, 5 pounds of dried apples, and 5 gallons. of water. Put in an open cask and let stand for three days; bottle with a half teaspoonful of sugar and a bit of cinnamon in each. bottle. Vary the flavor to suit the taste.

It is really a pleasant summer beverage and if made in the United. States might take the place of some of our mysterious decoctions with decided advantage to health.

The special American interest in piquette, however, is found at present in the fact that the dried apples out of which it is made are