New Britain herald., 1915-09-07
WILL YOU HAVE
 PINK CHAMPAGNE?
Germans Liable to Change the
 Color of French Wine

Paris, Sept. 7.-Pink chafnpdsHe' or even red, is threatened possloll- ity as a result of the war, unless the winegrowers of the champagne ols- trict are helped out by white wine growers of other regions The glass works of Northern France and Of Belgium that have furnished cham pagne bottles are in the hands of the Germans, and further the wine grow CTS of the champagne district are short of casks-more than half or last years vintage being still in the wood. The use of casks from the Burgundy and Bordeaux red wine regions has been proposed, and if this suggestion is taken up there are chances that the cru of 1915 will be pink. It would be impracticable to thoroughly cleanse the red wine casks of their color, and it is said that the reddish color would in no wise harm the champagne.
 Rheims District Gone.
 The Mountains of Rheims" where the champagne is produced have, like the Heights of the Meuse," disap- peared from the official communiQue. The steady pressure from the French side of the fighting line disengaged finally the last of the important champagne vineyards, though those of St. Thierry and Harm onville to the north of the river Velse 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 difficulties the 25,0O0 acres of the champagne district will produce one-third more wine than last year, bringing the to- tai to the normal average before the war.
 Inexperienced women and children, guided by old wine growers, did the pruning between January 15 and end of March. Women also fought mill dew and, altogether, succeeded so well thaa the war difficulties will have had far less influence on the crop than the vine diseases that prevailed four years ago and prevented the formation of the fruit, or than the in mutations of 1910.
 Trouble in Gathering.
 For the gathering of the crop more trouble is anticipated than last year. After the battle of the Marne there were great many refugees in the champagne country, who helped with the vintage. These have been evac- uated since. Moreover the authori- ties hesitate to allow women and children to expose themselves any children to expose themselves any longer on the northern slope of the Mountains of Rheims" where they are liable any day to be caught bv a stray shell. Leave will doubtless be given to a sufficient number of wine growers under arms to do this work, as well as the operation of the 600 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 production of fine wines, valued at $31,0 100000, the champagne district produced $15, 5,OO0,- 900 the rest coming from the Bur- gundy and Bordeaux regions princi- pally. One of the best customers for the fine wines of France was Ger many, who bought $6,6o0,000 worth a year; surpassed only by Great Britain, who took $7,750,000 worth, with Bel gium coming next with s6,750AOO. France has, accordingly, for the time being lost an outlet for wines to the amount of $13,35O,O0O annually. The United Sta. g, with purchases of $2,- 100000 year. was the poorest cus- toner, next to Russia, who bought less than a million dollars worth of French wine annually.