Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-03-25

California. Virginia, and Kentucky
the Leaders i'm Its Manufacture.
New York Sun.


According 10 the familiar declaration
Of the juvenile copy-book, the essential
difference between whslSey and brandy IS
that whskey is made from grain and
brandy is made from fruit" The origin
Of brandy, or eau-de-ve as IT is called
I'm France, is German. being derived from
branntweln, or burnt wine, ana though
the American brandy. for which a con-
siderable home market has been obtained,
Is distilled according 10 the French for
mula, the German designation OF the
product is adhered 10 I'm preference 10
the French. During the fiscal year be-
ginning on July l. 1897, and ending on
July l. 1898. the amount of brandy pro-
duced I'm the United States aggregated
nearly 100000 gallons, of which CalifOr-
mia produced 2,3SLM5 gallons Virginia
l0jll5 gallons, and Kentucky @l7t gal
Ions
There are seven varieties Of fruits which
enter into the making Of American
brandy. some states giving preference
20 one and some States TO another as
local conditions dictate. These seven
fruits are apples, peaches. grapes, pears,
opricots. berries, and prunes. The Cali
fOrnia brandy is made almost exclusively
Of grape juice. The Virginia brandy Is
made almost exclusively Of apple juice,
though in manufacture differing essen
TALLY from the ordinary product OF apple
juice, which is cider. In Maryland peach
brandy is the chief item OF product in
the line Of brandy making; prunes TO
small extent are used I'm Oregon, apricOts
I'm California. berries IN Georgia, and
pears in Florida, the pear brandy or the
latter State having. II Is said. some com
mcrcial advantages which other States
have been unable 10 discover. The eX-
tent 10 which the business has grown IN
California may be shown by the follow
ing official figures: Deposited I'm each
year in bonded warehOuses-lSIs, os,3iO
gallons; 1sSi 200.732 gallons; 1889, sj23js
gallons, 1884 800 2S9 gallons
The shortage of the California grape
crop two years ago resulted In keeping
down the manufacture OF brandy Tor con-
SUMPTION. Most Of that distilled was
used for terrifying sweet wines in that
State. Afterward the remaining quantl-
ties Of suitable grapes We're small. Last
year large amount OF grapes ordinarily
used as table grapes was converted into
brandy. because the price for table grapes
was low. As a consequence Of these con-
ditions the marketable supply OF Cali
fOrnia brandy varies from year 10 year,
but in quality II IS generally found 70
hold its own, even against foreign BRAN
dies These come chiefly from France,
and, prior 10 lsE. amounted on the ave-
rage to 10000 gallons imported In casks
and 10 5000 gallons imported in bottles.
After 1892 the importation Of foreign
brandies declined rapidly. and I'm 1896
it was down 10 less than 5000 gallons IN
wood and less than 10000 in glass. Since
then, however. there has been steady
increase. despite the Increasing demand
for California brandies, freely bought in
preference 10 those Imported. on account
OF their greater purity and on account OF
the more reasonable price az which they
are sold with brandy, as with other
spirits. however the rule OF moderation
is the rule OF safety. for too much brandy,
however wholesome II Is I'm small amounts
careful manufacture lS
injurious TO the eXtravagent patron. Un-
der the Wilson tariff there was duty Of
$50 per proof gallon on imported brandy.
The present tariff is S225 per gallon.