308 



THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



dominate under these more refined conditions, but 

 from these alterations being positively unsuitable for 

 them. 



From these remarks then we may conclude that not 

 only are sedges, as well as a host of other plants still 

 more differing from grasses, weeds in pasture, the 

 which we should bend our energies to discountenance, 

 but even coarse grasses themselves are also weeds, so 

 that in fact a pasture should not be considered as perfect 



until we know it to contain none but the best pasturage, 

 plants and though as yet neither the vegetable physiolo- 

 gist nor the chemist can tell with certainty all the quali- 

 fications of the plants that may be found in the meadow, 

 yet this law is pretty well established , in as far as the 

 grasses are concerned, namely, that the best species 

 grow in the best soil, and in proportion as the meadow 

 is good and well cultivated, so the coarse or sour grasses 

 will be absent. 



THE BEER Ax\D CIDER CONSUMPTION OF FRANCE. 



We have not yet done with the Fi-ench Treaty, 

 which, surreptitiously arranged and presented to the 

 nation by surprise, has by no means met with general 

 approval, as its details have been analyzed and its 

 scope and objects discussed and comprehended. Are 

 the French likely to take our malt liquors in return 

 for their light wines and beet-root brandy ? Whether 

 any extended demand will arise there for our ale and 

 porter, or our hops, is, we think, exceedingly question- 

 able. An investigation and inquiry into the proportion- 

 ate consumption of malt liquors across the channel 

 cannot, however, but be interesting in a social point of 

 view. And we may connect with this the manufacture 

 and use of cider, which is much more general than 

 with us. The cultivation of apples for cider in England 

 is exceedingly limited, and we have no data as to the 

 quantity produced or consumed here. That cider is a 

 wholesome beverage for those who use much bodily 

 exercise is generally conceded ; and where apples are 

 abundant and not readily saleable, their conversion 

 into cider is no doubt beneficial to the cultivator. 



The departments of France where beer is chiefly 

 drunk, are the Pas de Calais, Nord, Moselle, BasEhin, 

 and Ardennes, comprising a total population of 

 3,004,029. The cider departments comprise 9,185,067 

 inhabitants. The population of the wine-drinking 

 districts amounts to nearly double these two, namely 

 23,151,930 souls. The imports and exports of beer 

 have both increased in France since 1830. In 1847 

 910,817 litres (each nearly a quart) were imported, and 

 970,356 exported. In the statistical tables of returns 

 of the Trade of Foreign countries issued by the Board 

 of Trade, beer is not mentioned in the beverages im- 

 ported and exported. We, however, know that there 

 is shipped from this country about 4,300 barrels an- 

 nually, but whether for French or English consumption 

 we cannot state. Strong beer pays a duty of 2 francs 

 40 centimes per hectolitre (about 2s. per 22 gallons); 

 the weaker sort, called '^petite Mere," pays only 60 

 centimes (6d.), 



The average yield of a hectare (nearly 2^ acres) of 

 hop-land is 1,947 lbs. The production of hops for 

 the whole of France is not exactly stated, but, as 

 the average consumption is admitted to be 3,440,000 

 hectolitres of strong beer per annum (the only sort 

 worth taking into account, since small-beer is but a 

 second or third infusion made from the same hops), 



and as the quantity of hops per hectolitre of 22 gallons 

 varies between % lb. to 1 lb., the average quantity of 

 hops used in France may be safely stated at about 

 7,500,000 lbs. Although our shipments of hops are 

 large to Belgium, we do not send much to France. In 

 1858 the exports to France were 55,776 lbs. The 

 crops cf hops in France, as here, are exceedingly un- 

 certain, varying betA^een 150 and 2,000 kilogramnaes 

 (2 1 -5th lbs.) per hectare. In the neighbourhood of 

 Mulhouse and Strasbourg are found the principal hop- 

 grounds. 



In Paris about two-thirds more beer used to be 

 manufactured forty years ago than at present ; but 

 the use of beer is again becoming general in France, 

 especially among the working-classes. Between the 

 years 1853 and 1857 the consumption in Paris rose 

 from 150,470 hectolitres to 346,979. An official state- 

 ment furnished by the administration of the Contribu- 

 tiones Indirectes informs us that the quantity of beer 

 which paid duty in 1849 was 3,788,168 hectolitres ; 

 in 1854, 4,957,347 hectolitres ; in 1857, 7,088,121 

 hectolitres. According to M. Ilusson, the annual 

 consumption of beer in Paris is 14,000,000 litres 

 (1| pints), being 13 and one-third litres per head. These 

 quantities bear a very small proportion to the other 

 duties, which are, wine 113^ litres, and spirits 12 litres 

 per head, being in the proportion together of 0.348 

 litres per day. The quantity of beer charged with 

 duty has risen from about 4,000,000 hectolitres in 

 1840 to upwards of 7,500,000 in 1858, or from 

 88,000,000 gallons to 165,000,000 gallons. If we 

 compare the population and consumption of beer in 

 the principal towns of France for 1857, we arrive at the 

 following results : 



Population. Beer, Hect. 



Paris .... 1,174,346 346,979 



Lyons .... 292,711 64,343 



Marseilles .... 233,817 .... 20,991 



Bordeaux .... 149,928 14,264 



Nantes .... 108,530 6,118 



Rouen .... 103,223 22,714 



Toulouse .... 103,144 .... 12,155 



Lille .... 78,641 .... 147,307 



Havre .... 64,137 .... 24,471 



Strasbourg .... 77,656 .... 85,899 



Metz 64,727 30,908 



We have here some curious features in the small 

 consumption of beer by the town populations of Bor- 



