The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-05-04


France from phylloxera. The ravages Of
this pest, though severe. have not been so
widespread as In France In 1895 about
900, 900 acres In Italy had been entirely de-
stroyed, but this Is only a small part OF the
acreage given to grape culture. The prod
uct has at no time been 80 disastrously re-
duced as In France by the insect.
On the whole, the art OF wine making in
Italy Is not 80 far advanced as in some
other lands, and much Of the exports ara
rough wines or must, or grapes in fer
mentation which are mixed, refined and
clarified in other countries before being put
on the market. In value the wine crop is
one-sixth OF the total agricultural produc-
tion Of Italy, and In some years the country
almost literally runs with wine. II was
said on the authority OF the Ministry OF
Agriculture and Commerce that in the
years ls92-93 there were not, in some dis
tricts OF southern Italy, sufficient barrels
and demijohns to hold the pressed juice,
and ~cisterns were emptied of water and
filled with wine"
In marked contrast with Italy, the export
of wines from Spain has increased to an
extraordinary extent since 1897. The
movement has Dfcn tOnllItu cIltly W IHt
ordinary wines Of the country, such as are
introduced into France in large quantities
to mix with the French wines. The export
Of the finer Spanish wines declined between
1886 and 1891, when the call from foreign
lands for the ordinary wines was growing at
the rate OF about %, 900, 900 gallons a year.
Spain held third place in 1898, with a total
product Of 653, 800, $50 gallons, which was
141 900, 900 more than the yield in 1897.
There is q Hong distance between these
three greatest producers OF wine and their
nearest competitors. The total wine pro-
duction in twenty-five countries in 1897
was 2,S43, 47S, 1890 gallons, and France.
Italy and Spain supplied ., o59, ess, 2OOof it.
No skill or art has yet succeeded in pro-
ducing fine vino from uncongcnial soil.
Though the industry Is capable Of large de-
velopment In countries where it is still in
its infancy, the great centre OF wine max
ing bids fair to continue to DO the re-
gions on the Mediterranean, or near that
sea. The loss to France from phylloxera
was greater than the entire war debt she was
compelled to pay to Germany, and 1000, 900
acres Of her vineyards were infected by the
plague. But this calamity proved in n
HlOSU SITlhlnB uldllneT lnHJ llle cdUuClJy OF
the Mediterranean regions for grape cul-
ture is far beyond the past demands upon
them. Frances misfortune, which reduced
her wine product to one-half, so stimulated
the industry in Italy and Spain, crippled
as they were by the same plague, and also
in Portugal and Algiers, that the total pro-
duction was greater than before and the
price was lower. The wine yield of the
United States last year, "a, 342, 900 gallons,
was only about one-quarter Of the yield of
Algiers in 1897.
The United States now rank fifteenth
among the w~ine-growing countries. Bull
garia, more than doubling Its production
in a single year, passed US In 1893 with q
production OF 90, CSC, 900 gallons. Austria
Hungary more than doubled our product
last year, and G~ermany's was a third larger
than ours. Roumania, Russia, Portugala and
Chilli produce in each case about double our
wine output. Argentina and Turkey are
ahead Of us, and Switzerland and Greece
are on about even terms with the United
States. England. Belgium, Holland and
Denmark have no vineyards, and in those
countries our constantly improving wines
should enter into successful competition
with those Of other lands.
Scientific wine making In this country has
been carried on only about twenty years.
Very little effort had previously been ap-
piled to the production OF high-class wines.
To-day the best expert talent is employed
in our wine production. Forced sales Of
new wines have been abolished, and to send
the product out Of California while in an in
ferior condition is a violation Of tho State
law. The capital now invested in the in
dustry permits the holding Of large stocks
Of wine until it Is matured. Other circum-
stances are contributing to give our prod
uct a well-deserved reputation both at home
and abroad.