THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



371 



of commerce, and the operations of husbandry. There cannot 

 be a greater contrast than that between the processes of the 

 two pursuits and operations, or which require separately a more 

 undivided attention to conduct them to advantage. And we 

 deprecate the introduction of agricultural distilleries, as calcu- 

 lated to draw off the attention of the husbandman from those 

 grand improvements which have set in, and are now in 

 progress, and which demand the undivided skill, capital, and 

 application of every one engaged in agricultural pursuits. 



We are quite aware that in those parts of France referred 

 to by our correspondent, agriculture has long been conducted 

 on far better principles than in the south or centre of that 

 country, and with corresponding success, It is only recently, 

 however, that distilleries have been introduced there, as ad- 

 juncts to the farm, and the effect on either the agriculture or 

 on the moral and physical condition of the rural population 

 can scarcely be appreciated at present. It required a genera- 

 tion to change the habits of the Austrian peasantry ; but we 

 see there, at last, the dreadful effects of the advocated system. 

 And that the disposition to substitute ardent spirits for light 

 wine or water, by the working class in France, is gaining 

 ground (gradually it is true, but surely), I have the testimony 

 of those who have both the oppnrtuuity and the discernment 

 for ascertaining the fact. They assure me that the operatives 

 of Paris, most of whom are migrants from the rural districts, 

 are gradually acquiring the habit of repairing to the spirit- 

 shop, instead of the pump or cafe, at meal-hours. We have a 

 high respect for the opinion of such men as Liebig ; but we 

 cannot admit opinion in competition with palpable facts daily 

 staring us in the face, and patent to every man of common ob- 

 servation. We admit that sometimes distress of mind does 

 drive people to intemperance, as it also drives them to suicide ; 

 but in both cases we believe there is usually a predisposition 

 to the crime ; and it is equally true that the intemperate use of 

 alcoholic drinks reigns chiifly amongst that class of operatives, 

 in tliis country, who earn liigh wages, and who, being clever 

 bands while at work, consider themselves entitled to spend 

 a part of their time and money iii dissipation of the most in- 

 jurious kind. The example of Austria, too, is a sufficient 

 answer to Liebig's theory, and a standing illustration of 

 the pernicious influence of agricultural distilleiies, which 

 all the theorists in the world cannot neutralize or refute. 



With respect to the increased value of the residue of beet- 

 root after distillation, in nutritive properties, if it be a fact 

 that it exceeds in this respect the raw or boiled beet in its 

 original state, it is certainly one of the most extraordinary 

 facts in science, and upsets all the chemical theories hitherto 

 entertained. Saccharine is the basis of alcohol; it is alao, 

 or has always been considered, the most nutritive element 

 of plants. If, therefore, by distillation the saccharine is ex- 

 tracted, which is the case, it is contrary to all the received 

 opinions of scientific men that the residue should be superior, 

 or even equal in value, as nutriment, to the perfect root. If 

 this is attributable to the cooking, the same process would 

 be equally useful and more efficacious with than loitliout 

 the saccharine. We suspect, however, that the " other 

 substances" mentioned in our correspondent's letter includes 

 something more nutritive than chaff or cut straw— a little 

 barley -meal or linseed-cake, for instance — to give a nutritive 

 tone to the residue. Until, therefore, we have a more tan- 

 gible proof of a " better food" being obtained by depriving 

 the beetroot of its saccharine, without any additions, we shall 

 hold ourselves at liberty " to doot the fact," as a Scotchman 

 would say. 



There is an inconsistency in our correspondent's letter in 

 speaking of the effect on prices of the diffusion of distilleries, 



and the consequent increase of ardent spirits. In one para- 

 graph he admits that prices have been reduced so low as to 

 stop the manufacture, aud in the next he denies that the in- 

 creased production will have any such effect. We cannot, 

 however, admit that the spirit from beet-root will supersede 

 that from grain, except by being mixed with it to reduce the 

 price. It certainly superseded grain spirit in Austria, be- 

 cause, when distilleries were first introduced, the price of grain 

 was 80 low that its cultivation was discontinued for that of root 

 crops, to be used in the distilleries. But they have again 

 begun to distil from grain, and the quality of the two articles 

 is so different (as regards flavour at least) that the one will 

 never come into successful competition with the other when 

 both are made. The duty, too, is so high on both, that the 

 cost price forms only a small part of the price to the consumer ; 

 so that it will not admit of a reduction at all adequate to the 

 inferiority in quality of flavour. It will, however, be purchased 

 by the low spirit dealers to be used in mixing, to increase their 

 profit or decrease the price. We therefore adhere to the 

 opinion we expressed, that the manufacture can only be ren- 

 dered profitable by the increased consumption of spirits keep- 

 ing up the price, and that unless the consumption does so 

 increase the whole system will be a failure. 



We are aware that no spirit can possibly be retailed, under 

 the present laws, at the distillery, nor is it necessary. Instead 

 of selling it themselves by retail, as in Austria, our agricultural 

 distillers must have their spirit shops m every parish, just as 

 the public brewers and distillers have in towns at present. It 

 will be tlieir object to promote the sale of their article by mul- 

 tiplying the number of grog shops as much as the magistrates 

 will allow. As to people caring little for that which " they 

 have within their grasp," experience, we assert, is against that 

 theory. The enormous increase of gin-shops in London and 

 other large towns has nol decreased the demand for gin. On 

 the contrary, is it not a fact that the multiplication of these 

 pernicious establishments, has been attended with an increase 

 of prosperity to all of them? so that, let who will sink, through 

 the spirit of competition, the gin-spinners are the men who 

 play into each other's hands by multiplying the means aud in- 

 centives of intemperance. Tliey are the men who, as a class 

 make the most rapid fortunes, aud affect a splendour in their 

 establishments and dress, forming a singular contrast with the 

 victims who herd in sottish brutality under the glare of the 

 multiplied gaa burners. Let the same facilities and tempta- 

 tions be extended to the country villages, which would be the 

 inevitable result of the establishment of distilleries as adjuncts 

 to the farm, and we should soon see the rural populations as 

 demoralized and degraded as those of Austria or the large 

 cities of our own country. 



We confess that we should like to see the sale of ardent 

 spirits restricted to the druggists' shops, as is the case with 

 spirit of wine, which is only more deleterious in degree, not in 

 'principle. When we reflect upon the enormous quantity of 

 wholesome food for man and beast that is destroyed in the 

 manufacture of the 25,000,000 gallons of this slow poison 

 consumed in the United Kingdom (requiring not less than 

 2,000,000 quarters of corn), aud upon the amount of crime 

 resulting directly from its use, and the misery and wretched- 

 ness inflicted upon thousands of families, innocent themselves 

 of any cause for such calamities, we feel assured that society 

 in all its ramifications would be benefited by the discontinu- 

 ance of the use of ardent spirits. This, and not the multi- 

 plication of distilleries, is, we are assured, what every well- 

 wisher of his country and his kind would devoutly wish. 



