4i8 



Fruit and Vegetable Production. [sept., 



The cultivation of vegetables is practised only on a narrow 

 strip of land bordering the sea coast from Ouistreham to Cour- 

 seulles. Potatoes are very early there, but the exports are 

 small and only amounted to 130 tons in 1906. Carrots and 

 onions aire also successfully grown, but are chiefly consumed 

 locally. 



Honfleur. — Horticulture is one of the principal resources 

 of this part of Normandy, and Mr. Charlesson, the British 

 Vice-Consul, reports that all the farms in this part of France 

 are divided into plots surrounded with thick hedges and planted 

 with cider apple, plum, cherry and pear trees. The land is 

 grazed by cattle and regularly manured every spring. In 

 properly-managed orchards, apple trees over 15 years old 

 have the bark scraped off with a special tool in January or 

 February and are then lime-washed to destroy insects and 

 fungi. The soil chosen for the cultivation of both cider and 

 table apples is generally of inferior quality, dry and stony 

 slopes being favoured, but those facing south and south- 

 west are preferred. 



The varieties of cider apples, mostly cultivated are Bedan, 

 Bouteille, Joly, Cimeterre, Belle fille, Sorte a Renoult, Taureau, 

 and Peau de vache. The apples are made into cider locally, 

 but several thousand tons are sent annually to Germany. 

 Table apples are chiefly consumed in the country, though 

 a few are sent to England. The varieties grown are Eclat, 

 Reinette de Caux, Reinette d'Angleterre, Reinette de Bre- 

 tagne, Pigeonnet and Calvil blanc. 



Several varieties of small pears are grown, such as St. Clair, 

 Liberge, Mouy, Roze, Beurre gris, Rousselet dore, Souris, 

 Fontaine and Catillac, the two latter being stewing pears. 

 The fruit is packed loose in boxes and sent to London and 

 Birmingham. 



Cherry and plum trees are abundant. The fruit is packed 

 in baskets holding 17 lbs. and sent to the North of England, 

 Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester, Hull, &c. Better soil j 

 is selected for cherries and plums than for apples and pears, 

 and valleys are preferred. The varieties of plums grown are ' 

 Orleans, Egg plum, Cherry plum, Gaillon and greengages, 

 and the varieties of cherry are Angers, Collet, Guigne dure, 

 Red and White Hearts. 



