The Farmers and the Pickle Factory 

"Adelle," shouts Pierre, "The corn seeds still haven't all germinated and its been two weeks since we planted.  We're having the same problem that we did for the past two years.  I don't know what the problem is.  I am ready to quit farming and go fishing for a living."

"I've talked to the other farmers and everybody along the bayou is having the same problem.  They are ready to give up too." said Pierre.

"Pierre, before you hitch the boat to the truck why don't you go to the high school and let the science department see what's wrong.  It might be something contaminating the soil or the air that is causing the problem." said Adelle.

"If it is pollution what can we do?" asked Pierre.

"We will decide what to do when we know what the is causing the problem.  You should go see Mrs. Coty Ledon and ask her to analyze the seeds and tell her what is happening."

Pierre goes to the high school and sees Mrs. Ledon.  She asks Pierre to bring a sample of the soil and water from the area.  Mrs. Ledon takes out a strip of pH paper and finds that the soil and the water are below pH 6.  This means that the soil and the water are acidic.  Pierre sees this and thinks for a moment.

"The pickle factory!  The came here three years ago and that's when the trouble started.  We use the water from the bayou to irrigate  or water the crops.  I wonder if the pickle factory is dumping excess pickle juice into the bayou." said Pierre.

So Pierre told the other farmers and they stormed into the plant manager's office at the pickle factory.  They all told him about the problems.  The plant manager told them that the pickle factory is not dumping any pickle juice into the bayou or anywhere else and even if it were, pickle juice is harmless.

Pierre demands, "It is a pickle juice problem.  You are killing our crops!"

"Well you will have to prove that accusation, sir." said the plant manager.

So Pierre went back to Mrs. Coty Ledon at the high school and told her about the meeting at the pickle factory.

Mrs. Ledon said, "Well we will just have to do a little experiment to prove it to the pickle factory, Pierre."

"What kind of experiment will you do?" asked Pierre.

Attachment #1

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