The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-05-14
wJyE GROWING IN FRANCE.
some Interesting Details Furnished W '"'
British Consul at Bordeaux.


The report lust published of British Consul
Ward on the trade OF Bordeaux IN 1871 Is a
moJel Of rs kind. Mr. Ward is not satlsned
to give a dry summary or imports anu ~,
ports He discusses. II Is true. ths eheo1 "
the French traffic. be records the nuinuoi "a
tonnage and nationality OK the shlpS 1nHv GU
tered the port during the year ne tSOu'a'
the Quantities and value OF each description
Of merchandise with which England ~ con-
cerued. and he enters fully into the causes
which have made or are likely 10 maR",
the expOrtntoq Of this or that article , ge0t"t'y
profitable TO tie British merchant. Du1 10
does not fail b. recognize the Iact thaI pIl
deaux il the centre of the French vine tra'7'
that within thirty miles Of that port are
situated all the most celebrated claIet Fl"1-
wards in the world and that from IL the wines
are distributed TO every country anu eSp1
cially 10 our own. He has. therefore mnue
vine his main blect. he mas colecteb W"
what must have been infinite trouble p@rucu
lars about growth and vintages. when are OF
GREAT interest for the English consumer anu
which bear intrinsic evidence OF having oeou
derived from thoroughly trustworthy sources.
From his comments we learn lua, III VIZ
last quarter OF q century there has Osen ~
vintage rivalling that of 1879 IN excellence;
bnt n has 10 be remembered that the vine OK
that wear will not be at its best lnuch longer
Ia saw nothing of tho fact that IT j. no" Only
pr0curgbie 40 enormous prices. no fuos
ton arises for those who nave collars Is W
what is now 10 be laid down to taNe us
Mace 1877 and 1878 were both pretty lar
v!utages. but neither IN quantity nor qual-
w did they approach lSio' auu iloin
1878 to 1887 there was nOt SlnE.o
wear that furnished anything Ike nrsi-F"te
vines. In 1857 the production was very Sn'il,
and. though the vim ordinaire OF that wear y
for the most part excellent, the chAlacle' "a
the wine is 50 robust that the delIchIe iI"'"t
of the most renowned grOWths Will ohlV Os
developed II at all after very long Keeping:
IL is at present obscured by the full cody OF
the wine. The last four years. however. nave
witnessed a considerable lnproy ement' w
the wines of 1855 Mr.. Ward says that theY arc
light fine, and OF good haYof are 'Ll III.
ING ont very we'll indeed In 1889 thero WAS
n large crop. and the wines were chafacterilsu
bv fine color and considerable BODY OUT
vera certainly rough IN comparison Win
those of 1870 which are described as very
good fruity. good color. smooth ana hsIe9-
II Nle favor As TO the vintage or l'll'
,yhen more vine was made IN the rToh4e
tban in my ve,r since 1917. Mr. Ward adj
ilits TINT opinions vary. but he Is disposed 20
think that the wines Will DO general-y H-h1
and smooth ON the whole. however we
Gather that the vintage OK 1885 IS tnat WHICH
he regard, rs at present best worm o"y'
and N il satisfactory % hear that theTe
.M
cellars ot the Shippers at Bordeaux. 10 Is e&-
rresslv poiuted out however. that whilst u
d. admirable in purchasing clareL % ue care
ful In the choice OF the firm supplying IL ~
must be borne IN mind that even the Des,
,,,res luless they are ludiclOu5y hanaled
until tho moment OF drinking. G., properly
stored 5ott ed aud decanted. are most HAey
IN furn ont thorough disappointment 10
tho consumer Perhaps 10 Il parity because
this care is not generally suinclehuy eA-
ercised that the consumption or claie1 III
England Ia falling on 10 pR1htes hccu',,
toned 20 the more merry groWIh5 OF 0pa'h anu
Portugal there is a chiiliness ABOUT even tu9
most delicate products Of the Orironle ana
the chiliness is emphasized by the 700 ire
ouent practice of bringing claret straight rom
trece,iar % the table Mr. ward thlnAs inaI
three ,auscs have combined 20 diulnlsh
The consumption of French red vines IN
this country first the Increased popularity
OF both spirits and champagne secOhuiy'
tho rise in tue price OF sound YIN oruihhio,
and. thirdly. the competition or the coarse Isu
wines OF Spain and Italy, when arc BeheIaliy
strong and heady. IL Is curious 70 learn thht
oven m the Gironde itself the poorer classes
nrefer Italian and Algerian wines 20 those
crown in their own neighb)rAOOd. because
inc former contain much more alcohol ana
can. therefore. be diluted with larger
amount OF water.
Of fhe condition Of the population OF the
nev customs tarl1 has made everything very
clear. though there IS orc conspicuous eX-
canton in the case of oysters the common
sorts Of which may be had for "a. dozen.
while there ls % large export trade 10 fhgiaud'
,,hore the imported oysters are tattened Tor q
few months and are then sold as natives"
The cost of nearly all the daily necessarle5
~ lie has been tremendously enhanced, aud
sfich articles as groceries. hams, Oh. cheese
and fish aye now exceedingly dear. Mr Ward
thinks IL certain tEat the importatlons from
the nited nIug IOm 70 rance Will De diinln-
ishsd at first and that on the other hand,
the export Of French manufactured goods
will Increase in consequence OF the artlhclally
stimulated production. But he anticipates
that there viii be oyer-productlon. and
tnat consequently prices Will eventually
fail 10 y lower level than hitherto. But In
dish trade wall suffer at the cost Of those
French consumers who DO not happen 70
depend for their livelihood on tho protected
industrie. The sanitary condition Of BOr
deaux Il such as would not be tolerated IN
this country. Though the population ex-
| ceei5 q quarter of million. there Is
no proper system Of drainage, and
tho arrangements are of u most print
tive aud consequently dangerous,
character Owing 10 the neglect OF centu-
res the soil is saturated with poisonous or
/ cauic matter. so that there is "a constant pre-
/ disposition towards fever and other diseases
/ OF "a low type. 10 is certainly astonishing that
/ what We regard a. some OF the essentials Of
civilized lite are Sd utterly neglected IN pro-
| yinoiai France. aud that even the constant
prevalence If typhoid fever does not teach our
neighbors on the other side Of the channel
| the lesson That has been learnt here by tho
! municipal authorities Of nearly all our own
/ towns ia % city like Bordeaux one might
surely expect o. find decent drainage and II
/ is shocking 70 think that by the side of the
/ picture of Joyous gfape-gatherers and of vne-
clad hills sloplng 10 the smiling river there is
the s0Inbre scene of the r. It'd town with It's
/ poor lodged in vile dens that invite disease -
| London Post.