The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-01-01

The State Department has received from
John c. Covert, United States Consul at
Lyons. France, a long communication re
garding the French wine crop. He writes
as follows
The reports thus far received from the
wine producing districts Of France, Al
geria, and Tunis promise a yield OF about
1.26S. O16.0O0 gallons in 1899. The organs
of the wine growers differ slightly in this
estimate Early frOsts reduced the produc-
tion in some districts, as in the Drome,
where it was 1885,. GOO gallons in 1898 and
S,500,000 ga ons IN 1880.
The department Of the RhoEe in which
Lyons is situated produced q. 1913, 500 gal
Ions. two-thirds of which is known as
Beaujolais. In the Gironde. the depart
ment in which Bordeaux is situated the
yield is - .3l5 600 gallons. against g., 239 600
gallons for 1898 In the Herault, where
very good quality OF ordinary wine is
grown. the yield this year is 255, 066. I2S
gallons. against 17S 1S2, Cos gallons in 1898.
The department of the Eastern Pyrenees
yields $3.50. $50 gallons. against &c. $4,000
gallons in 1895
Disposition of the surplus.
"One Of the newspaper organs Of the
wine interests estimates that the surplus
production Of 1899 over 1898 will be alb
eorbed in the following manner.
In home consumption. which IS shown
by the taxes levied at the city gates Don
wines entering the different cites Of France
u he stecdily increasing. The increase for
the first rah Of 1899 was 1898, 562 gallons.
1t is believed to be a moderate estimate
that the domestic consumption for 1899 in
The cities ~ France will he O-tN ZOO "A
Ions in excess OF thai 0f 1855
There will be a larger consumption in
The country than in the years of small haT-
vest. An increased distillation for brandy.
IL is estimated that not less than 80 9S4 coo
gallons will 20 into brandy OF 100 degree
proof. The average brandy product Of the
last nine years was 2,045 100 gallons. The
product this year is expected to reach
2,641 700 gallons. The steady increase in
the annual production of wine will compel
producers 10 devote a larger percentage OF
their output to brandy. as they did thirty
and forty. years ago. before the invasion OF
the phyllOXera and the miidew.
The agriculturists OF France are devot-
Ing more Of their Ian. TO wine growing at
present than at any time during the past
forty years. Stock raising and grape grow
ins are considered the two most profitable
pursuits for the farmer. / passed a few
DAYS last summer in the Valley Of he
St Peray, where all the rich Hermitage
wine is grown. and WAS taken through
thousands Of acres that had been newly
planted with vines and shown stretches OF
mountain and hillside which will all be IN
De- guilty alton in another year.
Cultivation on the MOuntnIns
On the steep mountain sides. where
Only the most stunted vegetation seems
possible rich vines are growing The SOFT
stone is first blasted, and after rec. living
the rains Of two seasons. the vine is
planted and produces a highly-priZed quail
fly OF white wine and the famous Her
mitage brands. Half mile distant N
the Valley of the Rhone. the vine grows al
most spontaneously, but does not p.oduce
the same fine wine. 4 dozen different
varieties Of wines are produced on the hill
sides within an area OF two miles, the
Gusiiueo depending upon the nature OF the
ground and the exposure 10 the sun.
while the production and the COusump-
tiOu Of wine I'm France are steadily in
cTeaeug. the expectation is diminishing
The quantity exported IN 1887 was 90 500 geo
gallons. In 1897, ten years later. 81 had
fallen 10 46. $50. 600 gallons
Wine growers were compensated for
Thu shortage by an increase in prices the
money value OF the exports OF 1887 banR
81. l0g.3ll for 1897 1t was S45 0S2 O00.
AAtSc NStltS tDluG llOul Tue tuHlollS o.
ficIals. who. during the later years of the
decade. placed a higher valuation upon The
sparkling wines which represented ;h-ec-
quarters OF the total exports.
A notable change has also occurred in
the direction taken by exports In 1857.
they were almost equally divided between
European nations and the counties over
the seas. In 1897, three-fOurths OF the eN-
ports were absorbed in Europe where the
number Of the consumers increased, and
the domestic product remained almost sta
tionary. The principal decline was in
Africa and the countries OF South America
especially in the latter where the vine
exports were S11 OOl 900 in 1887. and only
s32Sl 900 in 1898.
The NRIHe OF Drafting.
AT the meeting Of the National AEri-
cultural Society. reported in the Journal
OmcieI OF September 20 1899 it was set
forth as fundamental principle. never TO
o. lost sight Of by French wine growers.
that their success must in the future de-
pend entirely upon grating. This prin-
ciDle is also applicable TO the VINE growers
Of Spain. Italy, and perhaps some other
countries
AS nearly as J can learn. il was about
1919 when a Bordeaux wine grower planted
IN his high-grade vineyard a number Of
California vines. They took readily to the
French soil. sending forth tall and stout
branches. rich in fruitaEe. But in pro-
portion as they advanced, his own vines
which had produced a very choice brand
~ wine, began TO wither and die An
examination demonstrated that they were
attacked and destroyed by an iniinitesimaI
inject that multiplied with astonishing
Tsuidity.
From year TO year 10 spread. uni ] but
few vineyards in France were free from lis
raVages. Ii cost France more money than
fhe Franco Prussiau war. lis devastation
continues. In the mean time the American
vines flourish ard produce in abundance
where the others die. Upon eyamin zion
Ii Was found that the SANE tiny plragi o
feasted upon the American vines without
injUring them. the small cicat ice that il
leaves being filled with sap and closed as
soon as made.
TIE Vice President OF The Agric1Itu-aI
Society Of the Drome, Mr.. Augu-ts Tezicr.
tells me that before this inset invade
France the annual production Ct vine vas
LESS, 020 JO0 gallons on a land surface OF
6171.5 500 acres Today Dc ~ fac planted
Is about i.102, 900 acres. Every ye-r the
ARIA planted in vines increases a,OUt .'LO,C
acres
"Ij Is expected in q fca yea tha the
production Of the rfr.OI ccsdiag the
Inactive Bowels.