The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-03-07
THE TISErARDs OF FRANCE.
Once Moro They Ov-rtop In Proaacu,eue.s All
Other Countries.

The United States import in a year wine OF
the value OF s., 900. 900. and moro than half OF
the vino imported comes from the republic of
France. From Germany there is imported in n
year to the United States wine OF the value OF
about S230,ooo; but France ovortops all coun-
tries In regard TO this product, supplying the
American market with between 81. OOO. 900 and
g., 900, 900 worth OF vino in each year. The
Official figures for the year 1896, taken from lie
Honteur pinicoie, the standard European au-
thority, give these results In the chief winc.pro-
ducing countries, in hectolitres Ia hectolitrc is
twcnty-six gallons): France, $4,000. 600; Italy,
2l,57o,Ooo; Spain, 17.0oO, 900; Austro-H Hungary,
1000. 900; Roumania. $500 900; Algeria, 1 1000
OOJ; Portugal, 1900. 900; Germany, 900;
Turkey and Cyprus, 100000 and Greece.
1900 900.
Notwithstanding tho destruction incident to
the Franco.Prusslan war. tho devastation done
by the phylloxcra and the increasing competition
In the field Of vino production from other neigh
boring countries. where land and labor aro
cheaper than ia France, particularly In Italy
and Hungary, such Is the productivcness OF
French vineyards. such is the excellence OF tho
method OF cultivation, and such II the atten-
lion given TO tho manufacture OF wine, that
France not only stands ut the head of other
countries IN this particular. but MISC, as the lato
figures OF 1896 show. the product Of France.
winch wos 5000 600 hectolitrosi in lsD5, against
"a. 900, 600 IN italy and . o o 900 in Spain, IL
this year larger than that OF both these com
trios. During the past three years there has
been an abnormully large wine product in
France. but prior 10 1898 the annual average OF
wine product was largest In Italy. There are
oighty.scr ven departments Of France, and In
sevcnty-siy of them there are Vineyards. The
proportion OF rcd to white vine produced is as
three 10 one, the price OF red wine being slightly
higher than that OF white wine, Prior 10 tho
France QGrritortally lnrecr than II is today
averaged 10000, 600 hectoliires In a year, and
though these figures have not been duplicated
aince. the wine product OF the country Is as large
in proportion Ia the territory Included In il as 1t
was twenty-five years AGO, and the fHCt IL to 10
recalled That while IN otAcr countries celebrated
for their vineyards there has 'ccn u decline IN tho
product, and In some cgsos thu important yini.
cultural interest has been destroyed, the vine
yards OF France yield grapes rs beautifully as
they have ever done.
In Madeira and tho Canary l8lands. onco pro-
life In vino product, the present amount avail
nblo for export is very small, Cyprus wine, TOO,
areeCe, though abundant, are no longer held In
Rroat demand, and his, 20 some extent, also is
true ~ rome Spanish wines. Tao wines OF llaly
come chiefly from the MOI hbo.hOol OF Naples
ami from Sicily. Cape Colony. in Africa. has
10000 acres. OF vineyards, producing I,oO0,-
acres, producing 4,oOO.OOO AOcto!itrcs In II
year. About onequHrtcr OF the German
wine crop comes from the former French de
partment OF Alsauc, Down To 1850 there was
q surplus Of French wine for export. but from
1880 to 1893 the importations exceeded the OK.
restored and France is exporting more than IL
imports, and while the amount available for OK
port IL increasing, Tvs The late figures show, there
has been n corresponding gain In the quality.