New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-09-27
AMERICAN VINES IN FRANCE
THE IMPENDING WINE FAMINE.

IA ROCHELLE France. Aug. 3O.-Juptcr IiuN'uS
having Joined forces with the phyiloxera' II seems
now generally conceded that this years WINE croi
in tte two Charcnts will he hardly worth speaking
of The incessant rains that prevailed all over
France from November To June last, combined WIN
fine subseouent variable and uncertain tempefatui'
of Julv and August have allowed the vines 50 niue
~ that solar nourshment upon which alone t"e
cnaue fattens that even III regions AS YET
hy the phylloXera the prospects OF any h"i" " .
paving vintage for 1879 are practically aoan"o"."'
heard for instance, yesterday Of one propii''''
Who annually makes an average of 100 6d"'q"eS'
but who will do well this year II ne inah'S iVi's
And vet in this case the ThylioXrra is uo' re'io"
sible: the ram has done 1t all.
With such n dscouraging outlook the naturai
srnnosition wonld be that FIenchmen would begin
"a think Of curtaihng their wne-drInkine' an"
tprn with kindly eye toward those beverages
which find favor in our own and other non-"lhe-
nroduc,nc countries. But not 80. l nave aSAe"
soveral "But what are you going To 90 LOT your
vinef The price Will he so high, youii nave 10
do without IT," The invariable answer Is Oh'
not ot all. We shall simply have to pay more III
Il merely question, then, of who has inc 'onEos'
nursc But the lower classes the house servants the
o,.y;cys the farm hands, all of whom are accus-
TONED TO their pint or two day-ah al'o"auoc
which. by the way, they tenaciously eXac'-wn'
have IN modify their ideas considerably when WINE
oots m 10 n frame litre, and learn by actual ex-
nerience that an occasional drink OF cold water
does not rs has been popularity supposed, let loose
unon them all the evils III pandora's box
There appears. for the present. no possible escape
from this threatened VINE famine, even with the
helm of occasional importatons of the once-despseu
wines of Spain. To be sure such continuous ra'"s
nc we have had render the year an exceptional one
and were If not for the phyloxera, the next two
years. crops might easily restore the equilibrium
and keep ordinary wine down to IFS former prices
Bnt even with The most favorable weather. u i
fooroJ tho vines are doomed. The phylloxera
slowly. patiently but surely advances each SEASON
Lowing bliehted VINEYARDS behind hun and over
ruuuinr new ones. "Ah.' sighed a member oil the
pbvlloxera Commission who sat next me at pub
lie dinner the other evening, he lovingly held a
GLASS If wine M between his eye and the gasight'
ain three vears time we shall grow no more oil
r,isv The import If these words TO a Frenchman.
oivop IN his daily modcUm If wine from his youth
inward. - portentous indeed. But the hard Tact,
nevertheless sarcs HMM tie face The wines or the
nbvlloxera. one OF the other must 60, and thus TAR
the advantage rests atogc her with the pylloxera
,nicrosconic though he is. The hopes ut first
cherished that the insect woud run It's brief course
and disappear without 1t doing much harm have
vanished. Reproducing it>eif-oach inseci-to the
number OF twenty-five millions in single season.
# ,,o,cbc. over France au invading, all-deyoWing
army, carving more permanent d'solaion III Us
patl than did the Pussian cohort. Of decade ago.
Insect cIdes hy the ton-prnCipally suiphuret OF
corhon-are thrown in Its path, yet, ike John
Browns soul. IT still goes marching on. New vine
Yards are constantly being attacked; the thrifty
daily lnspccis in fear and trembling
his hitherto-untouchcd vines. md the territory
already Iavaeed lies idle for three or four years
until new lot of vines eau have been set out and
attain the e Of bearing.
II Is clear. then. that unless some means can be
found for ar1csiing sthe phylloXcr'a 'aFagcs, the
VINEYARDS of France are doomed Nor IS 1t survris-
lnq under such circumstances that the French Cow
eminent shonld have appointed n commission,
headed bv a no less distinguished person than the
Count T.. Nrrcicr. to Investigate aud combat this
iniuitesimal scourge. Up 10 the present tlme-it
r,ov seem unaracIous TO the commission to say II,
for tbcv have not been Idlc-the phylloXcra keeps
nv, inst the same as he did before the Government
tool, linn in hand. But it must he remembered that
m. insect is new thing for France-it first ap-
neared in 1sG3-and consequently takes the vino
cro,rera m 10 little disadvantage. The conn.,
mission have invest gated, studied. Experimental
sncpt some money. and TO sum mp their present
oninion in few words-i is this, that while sulphur
ref of carbon may be Of service in some soils and
under certain conditions. II is not universally ell
caclous. and that the only sure way to save French
VINEYARDS IS 10 set ont American vines which res 81
the phvllovera and then graft uDOn them French
cuttinrs. The vino resulting from this combna-
ton is absolutely good as If there had been nc
crafting. while at the same time the stock or root
.rrf1f hg "a
tanned hy planting American crape-stoncs aud
subsequently grating before but the latter plan
while perhaps cheaper at first neccssiates loss OF
at least three years. time.
To American vines, then. or TO certain ones Of
them found to possess n dense fibre, which the phy
loxe,a's pnncture cannot penetrate the general at
tentiou Of French vine-Crowcrs is 81 present turned
DR. ucnudier, vice-prosdcnt Of tho PhylloXcra
Commission, IN an interesting pamphlet, transla
ton Of which appeared in The Scientific american OF
August q ASSERTS that the two American stock
known as the "Jaccucz" and the " lIerbemont'
are. all things considered best calculated to serve
In French vineyards. Already by private enter
nrise considerable importatons of these and Other
American shoots have been made, readily finding
buyers at extravagant prices. The project OF TINS
department, an enterprising man, ana one who Is
personally conversant with the details of vine
growing has recently endeavored to secure an ap
propr,ation for the establishment of a nursery oi
American vines. whose cuttings might be sold to all
needing them at a sou or two apiece instead of q
franc. the price which buvers have now sometimes
TO paw The discussion provoked in the Council-Gen
eral of the department during its semi-annual ses
sion last week by this proposition shows 50 well the
drift Of public opinion in regard to American vines
that I translate 1t herewith
NJ Guvon asked an adjournment OF the vote on tins
arrronration until The supplementary Inquiries on Tho
subject were completed
NJ Bower replied that these Inquiries were already
comprtcs: that even the ground for the proposed nur
srg had been chosen aud that the disbursement OF the
sum asked for wculd he superintonded by the Central
Committee on the Phyloxera.
NJ te Connie lie Ncrcier stated thar the 1000 francs
inscribed IN the Budget ana requested hy the Central
La 81 Ia q ~ IL ANN 1911