The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-03-09
THH NEW. ORLEANS DEMOCRAT, SUNDAY. MARCH o. 1879

tion In the quantity of last years yinous
product throughout France, and notably In
such departments as Gharante (Cognac) and
Herault, which have heretofore been more
particularly known throughout the CONNER
eial world for the excellence OF the wines and
liquors they produce To the ravages real
and prospective, OF the phylloxera and the
consequent substitution OF wheat culture In
many districts may be attributed this alarm
Ing diminution, which, In the department of
Herauit alone, has reduced the vintage from
an average of H,006,000 hectoltres annually,
between 1869 and 1876, to only 4,000,0 900 In 1878
The heotolitre contains twenty-five gallons. A
glance at the figures showing the total wine
product for all France In 1878, as compared
with that of previous years, shows un-i
mistakahly how busy the phylloxera has
been. The average annual production for
ten years past has been 1913 553 hPptolitres
yet last year fell to AZ, 720.553, u decrease OF
over s,D00,000 heetolitres. The area planted
In vines In 1874 was 100000 acres, n figure
never attained previous to that year. Since
then the phylloKeFa's enCroaChments have
neepssitated the clearing of $4,000 more
acres. The average yield per acre, which
was formerly from ten TO twelve heetoltres,
haa now fallen from efx Ia eight In some
departments, such as Var. card and Bouehes-
du-Rhone, the production Is only one-tenth of
what 1t formerly WIS. The little bug has,
however been partial and discriminating in
his attentions. Some districts. such as that
around Cognac, for instance, have been
almost totally ravaged, while In others the
case is entirely different.
CONDITION OF THE WORKING GLASSES.
While the laboring classes OF England and
Germany, and, In fact, of Europe, generally
are feeling the depression of the times aud
murmurng loredly at their condition, little or
no complaint comes from the French work
men, THIS is owing to the greater thrift OF
the lower classes OF France. Nearly all work
men In this country are possessed of money.
However little they earn, they save some
thing. Thrift il their great characteristic: in
faet, IL Is said of the French operatives that
they spend less in proportion to their means
than any In the world. Many keep their ac-
foundations IN an old stocking seCreted in
their houses; others-a daily increasing num-
Der invest in various securities, the most
popular investment being the purchase of
becomes the owner of the house in which
he lives. OF course he is greatly
aided in this by tho French land
laws and laws of inheritance which cut the
whole country up into small holdings. Say
ings banks with government security build
ing clubs, sick clubs and friendly societies
are also in favor; but no money is tied UP In
trades unions. Strikes. of course, occur, but
In some Industrial centres they are very rare
as, for instance. In the WOODEN districts. How
many British working people hold eonsols
In 1874 the number OF persons entitled to
dividend from the British funds were 22s, 6o6,
in 1875 the number of holders of French
rentes were 1880, 1888. The French artisan
works longer for his weekly earnings than
the Englishman. On the average the differ
ence in the number of hours Is 27% per cent,
while the wages paid are Is per cent lower
With all the advantages in favor of the Eng
iish workman, his careless habits and dis
taste for economizing make him far less
prosperous than his brother workman in
France. L. ID. s.