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of French wines (1,426,561 to 1,452,979 gallons) against a previous ag- 
gregate of 250,000 hectoliters, (6,604,450 gallons,) while the French im- 
port of Italian wines has risen from 12,000 hectoliters (317,013 gallons) 
to 429,000 hectoliters, or 3,407,896 gallons. The Spanish wine-trade 
presents still more discouraging figures. The French importations from 
the Peninsula had risen from Rae hectoliters (4,728,786 gallons) in 
1872 to 541,000 hectoliters (14,292,030 gallons) in 1873 and 559,000 hee- 
toliters (14, " 767,550 gallons) in 1874, The annual export of French wines 
to Spain ranged from 6,000 to 8,000 hectoliters, or from 158,500 to 211,- 
300 gallons. In view of this disproportion, the council was unanimous 
in demanding that the import-duty upon Italian wines be raised to 
5 franes per hectoliter, about 3? cents per gallon, for common wines, 
and 20 franes per hectoliter, or 15 cents per gallon. The cheapness of 
French wines at home is significantly indicated by the fact that so small 
a duty is regarded as sufficient for the protection of the home product 
from destructive competition in the home market. 
FOREIGN TRADE OF FRANCE.—During the first half of 1876 the ag- 
gregate value of articles imported into France was 1,811,057,000 francs, 
an increase of 170,573,000 francs, compared with the aggregate of the 
same period of 1875; the exports amounted to 1,769,646,000 franes, a 
decrease of 108,536,000 francs. The following imports exhibit an in- 
crease: Cereals, from 59,780,000 franes in the first half of 1875 to 94,- 
338,000 francs in the first half of 1876; dried legumes, from 1,735,000 
to 5, 684,000; wines, from 7,585,000 to 14,667,000; cattle. from 38, 900, "000 
to 53 545,000 ; butter and cheese, from 14, 475, 000 to 16 ,882,000; horses, 
from 7,447, 100 to 11 883,080; silk, from 139, 537,008 to 151,972,000; 
hemp, from 4,680,000 to 7 "530, 000; wood for construction, from 26, 396, - 
000 to 37 598,000. On the other hand, the importation of foreign sugar 
during the same comparative periods fell from 47,684,000 frances to 
45,919,000 franes; wool, from 171,609,000 to 159, 835, 000 ; oleaginous 
seeds and grains, "from 42 212,000 to 40, 124,000. The following domes. 
tic exports show a decided falling off: Grain and flour, from 125, 090,000 
franes during the first half of 1875 to 67,724,000 during the same period 
of 1876; farinaceous foods, from 19,960, 000 ‘to 18,983,000; table-fruits, 
from 11 ,989,000 to 9,281,000; wines, from 133, 350, 000 to 116,537,000 ; 
unrefined sugar, from’ 24, 978, 000 to 21, 158,000; wool, from 40 172,000 to 
33,850,000; eggs and poultry, from 27, 309, 000° to 24, 141 000. 
Re ae an OF FRENCH WINES.—M. Grandeau, director of the 
eastern agronomic station of France, has pubiished the results of some 
official analyses of matters used in the adulteration of French wines. 
Formerly water, alcohol, and vegetable coloring-matters, such as log- 
wood, hollyhock, &e., were used. ‘Then extracts of coal-oil were high} iy 
successful i in imparting high color to wines, but were very injurious to 
the consumer. Lately, chemical analysis has detected a still more sub- 
tle and dangerous material in aniline red, or fuchsin, which M. Grandeau 
found extensively used in coloring Burgundy wines. This substance is 
obtained by a variety of processes, among the most prominent of which 
is the reaction of arsenic acid upon aniline in close vessels at a tempera- 
ture of 190° Fahrenheit. Even when the fuchsin is obtained pure it has 
a very injurious effect upon the animal economy. But in the process of 
evolution it absorbs small quantities of arsenious acid commonly called 
arsenic. It is prepared for use by mixture in sirups or caramels, and is 
associated with other coloring-matters more or less poisonous. A centi- 
meter (less than one-sixth of a cubic inch) of such preparations will give 
to a liter (1.05 quarts) of water an intense color. Some wine-makers 
