The morning call., 1893-09-24

German beverage, and it also is generally
consumed 10 Belgium. Holland and Eng
land. Ireland and Scotland are partial 10
whisky, and the United States is a rising
consumer Of beer and gives steady pat
rOnage to whisky. New Orleans may be
considered the one city where wine is
commonly imbibed by all classes, and the
habit is clearly tTaceabie to the French
stock in the population.
To the extent Of causing a demand for
cheap clarets New Orleans is a benefactor
to California, and California may take
credit for supplying better vintages than
could be obtained at The price, plus import
duty, from France, where, as the Scotch
minister said "the bodies brew the Draw
drink" Next 10 New Orleans as consum-
eIs in great quantity, but at a greatly
enhanced price, come New York, Chicago
and St. Louis. All the rest is in very
diminished ratio. San Francisco itself is
estimated IN dispose OF the respectable
quantity of 800, 900 gallons, but as il is in
wine center Il ought TO be wine city.
Yet 10 many Of the cheaper restaurants
and quite frequently in the hotels hardly a
bottle Is seen on the table.
Hence the perennial growl of the wine
dealer. Consumption is constant at about
so many millions Of gallons, production
goes on increasing, prices keep low and
threaten TO drop lower. the demand is
languid when the financial heavens are
ddlA dbu duDdlCDLil Il kclElb WHICH cDulu
supply all Europe with potab bles is kept
back by the prevailing virtuous resolve
not TO look upon the wine when il is rosy,
or white, or a1y other hue cheerful to the
eye OF the bibber. To add to the dismay
OF the trade there are producers who will
send their wines to market when railway
rates are low, as at this moment. and take
no account OF the sluggish requirements of
a temperate people. These producers. say
the magnates of the trade, think them
selves between the devil and the deep sea.
Ii they sell 10 the big houses they get little,
and when they themselves sell thew get,
perhaps, less and demOFaliZe the market.
The advice of the great dealers is to
hold back the poor qualities and convert
them into brandy, and to act in concert
when disposing OF the better qualities, so
that there may be fair profit all round.
1t is cOntended that an understanding of
this character would benefit the grower,
the dealer, the commission merchant and
the public. The consumer, although he
would pay few cents more for his bottle,
would have better quality. But all this
advice is a. old as the vineclad hills, and
certainly amounts to nothing at this mo-
ment. when the grower is bent upon show
ing the wisdom of independence.
Some Of the dealers are actually chuck
ling at the thought that :he phylloxera is
an ally in improving the wine trade and
wine. The pest ia roofing into rottenness
quite large acreage Of vines. Planting
has been at a standstill for few years eX-
cept among the wealthy owners. who can
. afford to graft resistant vines. and produc-
tiOn is therefore being checked. But the
dealers who thus think that lessons OF
prudence are inculcated by this pioneering
insect are thankful that their own vines
are thriving. They want the phylloxera
to keep on the other side Of the fence.
But making all allowances for the per-
sistent refusal of America to oblige Cali
fOrnia with steadily increasing consump-
tion il must be granted that the industry
ranks high and is worthy of being nuFsed
by all who are concerned in It. In 1885,
the wine shipped was II, ,247 900 gallons
and the consumption on the coast was
100000 more. OF the 100000 gallons
exported 100000 gallons were sweet
wines, the production of which is eQuiva-
lent to 100000 gallons of dry wines. or
brandy there were 100000 gallons, rep
Tesenting 1000, 600 gallons of wine and
100000 refuse. This comes to a gross
output. if all was turned into dry wines.
of 21.247. 600 gallons. These figures indi-
cate quite formidable pyramid of casE
handled by grower and dealers.
The quantity of grapes needed may be
estimated from the following: Ittakes one
ton OF grapes TO make 100 gallons of dry
wine. 1t also takes ton of grapes tC
make spirit enough to fortify the dry into
sweet wine, partly fermented. When the
sweet and dry Of the consumption in Cali.
fornia are reckODed-a total of 5000. OO(
galions-it will be seen that the assumed
production of 100000 gallons, whicf
some dealers reckon as permissible out
put, is greatly exceeded. Producers have
in fact been making great deal more thar
the quantity cited, because there are wine.
OF 1892 yet in stock and plenty of them il
certain sections. including Napa anC
S0noma. ION an average" says Mr. ArpaC
Haraszthy land there is no better authority
IF we add for the last six or seven year!
100000 gallons to the reporls of quantities