Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1855-02-24
Letter from DR.. Goodrich, Z. s. Consul at Lyons.
The Wine Trade of France.

The most productive wine districts of France
are the South and Southwestern, and the least
productive is the Northwestern The vine
grows not only on the level and unduating lands,
but also on the hill side and mountain SUBMITS
These lands are mostly stony, sandy and sterile,
worn out and unfit for wheat growing Dur
ing the last three or four years a destructive
disease has attacked the yiMe not only in
France, but in Italy, Spain and Portugal
This nlalady is of fungoid character, and its
preventive or remedy has hitherto eluded the
vigilance and researches of the chemist and ma
turalist .-
In the statistics | shall give you--and they
will be Official will, for brcvity avoid the
smaller numerals, as my object can be attained
without them The number of acres of land
under the vine culture in France differs but lit
tie from 100000. There are about 2,000,-
600 of persons (mostly femates) employed in
the cultivation Of the vine and manufacture of
wine, exclusive of go, 600 engaged in the trans
portation and sale of wine. The annual aver
age product is little more than SOC, 900 900
gallons-for obvious reasons l give you Amer
lean rather than French terms The domestic
'or home value varies of course with the supply
and demand, say from ten to twenty cents a
gallon. For the last two years, owing to the
disease" the price has augmented from one
to two hundred per cent on former prices The
annual value may be set down in round numbers
at $l00,000,000
In the year l949 which is probably the best
in several years, the number of acres under cul-
tivation was $500, 600 producing 925 OO0. 900
gallons OF wine. This was an increase of u.s.
600, 900 over that of the last decade, lS29.--
Nearly S0 000 00O llo,c n ro H., o.-,,o,.
ed as French wines In lS49, Al ,O00, ,GO0
were exported; in 1850, $4,000, 600; 1851,
49,500, 600; in 1852, 1920. 900: in 1853
43,50O,O00 Ninety millions of gallons are
annually distilled into brandy, although for the
ensuing year, owing to government restrictions
there will be but little French brandy export
ed to the United States except that made from
American whisky imported into France. One
seventh, or about l33, 900, 600 gallons of wine
are annually exported from France either as
wine or its Installations. The excise duty on
wine and its products paid into the French Ex-
chequer during the past year was So, 100000
This includes the ordinary excise as also the
" Octroi," or city duty. There are byestimate,
220, ,000,0 gallons of wine manufactured in
to spirits, inclusive Of the 0,000, 900 made in-
to brandy. This leaves more than 700, 1000, 600
SdIioHo VI "IHe lOr uolue cOHsuIlpt ptlOn, or about
twenty-one gallons for each inhabtant for the
year.
Wine, as beverage isuniyersally used here
by all classes. The stronger liquors arc chiefly
tor eXportation; hence, You see very little
drunkenness in Ia Jelle France.
The disease of the vine in France has for the
last two years been very destructive, and it has
greatly diminished the production of wine
This is on the increase and fears are entertain
cd that it may totally destroy the vine I'm
der this apprehension, may not the subject of
vine culture legitimately and appropriately at
tract the attention Of our Southern and South
western planters Many of our southern lands
! opine, are peculiarly adapted to the vine,
and from their natural steriIity or other causes
are unsuited to products requiring richer and
stronger soils The lands of Southern Europe
employed by the vine are light and sterile, un-
suited to wheat and other graius,-1icrchants
Nag, Feb.