The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1874-06-06
roreIgn New..

Foreisn Mo"F
A. great calamity has befallcn the VINE
crop in France, which up to the end oil
ApriI had been one Of unusual promise.
Early in May sbasp, cold winds, accom-.
panied BY rain, hail, and snow, set IN, ana
severe frosts blighted the crops in the
north, east, and southwest Of France. Il
i estimated that three.fourths of the en-
tire vineyard area of the country has been
affected. In the Gironde the great vine
Yards Of Chateau Margaux and Chateau
Lafitte escaped injury, but the vineyards
on the marshes which border on the rivers
suffered severely. The vines in sandy soil
were but slightly touched, while those ON
the grayelly plains were affected even less.
The vines yielding the costly wines in
Burgundy generally escaped, but some oil
the best known were injured, AT Beaune
the vines on the plains extending as far
as the Saone were completely frozen. The
vineyards Of Pommard suffered, and at
Gevray- Chambertin an immense amount OF
damage was done. The devastation at
Chablis was widespread, all the vines hay
ing been damaged whether on hills, slopes
or low ground. The hill sides Of Beau
jolais were not harmed, bu. in the Macon
nais district the vines in the plains were
entirely stripped of their leaves and now
resemble so many dried sticks.
In the Champagne country the frost was
most severe. The Thermometer fell to
thirty degrees above zero, Fahrenheit. At
Chalous, on the borders Of the Marine, and
in the neighborhood of Epernay, half the
crop is destroyed, while in other places the
loss will equal two-thirds. Verzenay and
other vineyards on the slopes near Reims
will lose one-third of the crop. In many
localities of the Grande Champagne and
the Petite Champagne there is no hope
now of any wine cropwhatsoeyer. Owing
to the predictions of NJ Sainte-Claire
Deville, who had foretold frosts in the
course of April, and more disastrous frosts
in the frst-half of May, many vine pro-
prietors were not taken by surprise The
moment the cold weather came on, they
kindled shortly before daybreak large fires
of fagots aud straw which had been damp
ened on tho wipdward side of their vine.
Yards SO that the smoke might form .rti.
fetal clouds above the vines, thus inter
cepting the suns rays and converting the
frost into dew Many accounts state that
wherever this plan was tried it was sue
cessful aud saved hundreds of thousands of
vines from being frozen; while some say
that this device has been attended with
but little success, and that the only plan
which has at all succeeded has been the
spreading out of linen cloth over the vines.
Mr. Bessemer il abou, launching his
shin with 4 cabin balanced in the centre
70 prevent sea sickness, and Captain Dicey
has at Blackwell Just completed a vessel
intended to cross the British Channel with
out the usual distressing and violent mo-
ton. The idea of Captain Dicey is that
of two ships connected by an arch through
out, and between the two are the paddle
wheels, which are thus in the middle.
Should tho experiment prove successful,
the short rolls, or chops Of the cross seas,
will be counterbalaneed by the double keel,
while the pitching may be overcome to
great extent by the length OF the vessel.
The Republican members Of the French
Assembly are making very courageous
and stubborn fight against the electoral
bill by which the Government is endeav-
orlng to limit the right OF popular suffrage
in order to strengthen itself Ledru Rol-
I'm spoke energetically against the bill on
Wednesday, and reused the lmperialists to
angry interruptions If the Republicans
, ueiea' 'ne on'' sner next movement Is
nAey I" NC an enort 10 eompei the disso-
'a''on VI .ne assembly, ana the election
VI nc" oouy ny 'he country
Inc ruhors tnat Germany seeks To dts
'.'o eiie luxembourg treaty, ana 10 revive
Tue Sanaida'ure Oh a 1ernsn frinee Tor
'nc spanish throne, Whicil nave deem Tor
ron" 80 n,"nonn.a3 s.nm ''I PSEi iiu
wboi,r wi,h"n, eeualn.;aa D." ~ ~;
marcI ia slowly reoovor;n" nj ho"I,h D as
his estates at Varzin.
p.r,;n -, A., A. r.
will meet the F9naror ~ carm.n a.0 .ta A
,ha ,.;sI,s e ~ y. '''na ANU,
Jen;ai = go - r. -. . IL. IA
canS;da,uss of The uoha rpIs '"d p.; ane
Co. ,hn Co., - oc g. ,s;,, t,"'e
or. pa'eeh !o'ns s'o'. companies, iorty-iour