. 20 



mal rate. The influence of the new law upon the industry 

 was good. 



We are now in a position to determine the number and the 

 importance of the country stills, as the law necessitated their 

 segregation. The vast majority were found in the country, 

 5,990 out of 6,492 in 1885. Of these the greater number 1 

 were small, producing not more than 5 hectoliters of 50 per 

 cent, alcohol yearly, and using chiefly fruit and wine. How- 

 ever, 1,256 used potatoes during this year,' and the annual 

 consumption of the tuber was from 1 to 1.5 million hectoliters, 

 being 1,141,411 in 1885. A considerable market for grain 

 was also furnished by the stills, 734 using 313,750 hectoliters 

 in the same year, as well as 126,754 hectoliters of brewers ; 

 grains. The product varied from 222,034 hi. in 1881 to 

 261,002 in 1885. 



In 1887, Bavaria, with the other South German States, 

 came under the jurisdiction of the imperial tax on spirits. 

 2. Wurtemburg. 



Distilling in Wurtemburg is almost exclusively carried on 

 in the simplest way possible and has never become of great 

 industrial importance. The country has a very dense popu- 

 lation and the agricultural lands are divided into exceedingly 

 small parcels, cultivated chiefly by their peasant proprietors. 

 According to the census of 1895, there were 306,643 farms in 

 the kingdom and 142,910 persons owned land amounting to 

 1,378,263 hectares of the entire surface of 1,498,949 hectares, 

 a hectare being 2.5 acres. Stills are operated by these small 

 farmers for a short season only, chiefly to gain a little fodder 

 for the cattle or to utilize waste. The country is famous for 

 its numerous vineyards, and the owners distill brandy from 

 the residues of the presses, while in the Black-Forest the poor 

 inhabitants distill the heidelberries which abound. Most of 

 this distilling lasts but a few days or weeks, and the product 

 is either consumed at home qr sold to gain a little ready 

 money. These conditions have apparently prevailed since 

 distilling was introduced. Little room was given for the 

 growth of a real industry and one has never developed. 



1. 4,502 in 1887. 



