The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1915-09-10
IN FRANCE GRAPES GROW
ON DANGEROUS GROUND

ON DANGEROUS GROUND
Paris, Sept. lO.-Pink champagne,
or even red, is a threatened possi-
| bility as a result of the war, unless
/ the wine growers OF the champagne
district are helped out by white wine
growers of other regions. The glass
works of Northern France and of Bel
GUM that have furnished champagne
bottles are in the hands of the Ger
mans, and further, the wine growers
of the champagne district are short
of casks-more than half of last
years vintage being still in the wood,
! The use of casks from the Burgundy
and Bordeaux red wine regions has
been proposed, and II this sugges-
ton is taken up there are chances
that the cru of 1915 Will be pink.
1t would be impracticable to thor
oughly cleanse the red wine casks of
their color and it is said that the
reddish color would in no wise harm
the champagne.
The Mountains of Rheims" where
the champagne is produced, have,
like the Heights of the Meuse' dis
appeared from the official communi-
que, The steady pressure from the
French side of the fighting line dis
! lnSt nj the I'M
portant champagne vineyards, though
those of st. Thierry AID Hermon-
Vile to the north of the river Nesle
are right next to the trenches, and
those on the northern slope of the
ridge called Mountains Of Rheims
are still within range of the enemy's
artillery. Notwithstanding all the diff
ficulties the 25,OOO acres of the
champagne district will produce one
third more wine than last year, bring
ing the total to the normal average
before the war.
inexperienced women and children,
guided by old wine growers, did the
pruning between January 10 and the
end of March. Women also fought
mildew and, altogether, succeeded so
well that the war difficulties VIII
have had far less influence on the
crop than the vine diseases that pre-
vailed four years ago and prevented
the formation of the fruit, or than the
inundations of 1910.
For the gathering of the crop more
trouble is anticipated than last year
After the battle of the Marne there
were a great many refugees in the
/ champagne country, who helped with
; the vintage.
These have been evacuated since
Moreover the authorities hesitate tc
: allow women and children to expose
themselves any longer on the north
ern slope OF the Mountains o'
Rheims where they are liable any
day to be caught by a stray shell
Leave will doubtless be given to
sufficient number of wine growers
under arms to do this work, as wei
| as the operation of the 500 wine
presses in the department of the
Marne, requiring each five men dur
ing a period of fifteen days.
The commercial importance OF the
champagne country to France appears
from the latest figures available,
, those of 1912. OF the total produc
| ton of fine wines, valued at $31,OOO,'
100. the champagne district produced
sl5 900 OOO the rest coming from the
Burgundy and Bordeaux regions prln'
, cipally. One of the best customers
/ or the fine wines Of France was Ger
many who bought $6,6O0,OOO worth
: year; surpassed only by Great Britain
who took $775O,OOO worth, with Bel
gium coming next with $6,75O,OOO
France has, accordingly for the time
, being, lost an outlet for vines to the
2 amount of $13,350,0OO annually. The
United States. with purchases OF 81,
2 100, 900 a year was the poorest Gus
a. toner. next to Russia, who bought
I less than a million dollars worth o.
- French wine annually.