26 



ness. The exact number of such plants it is difficult to ascer- 

 tain. In the census of 1895, 5,922 are reported. 



The percentages show that they are usually found on the 

 middle and large-sized farms, as would he expected. But the- 

 number is evidently much too small, as the census was taken 

 in the middle of summer when the country stills are not in 

 operation. According to the revenue law those agricultural 

 stills in operation not more than eight and one-half months, 

 between September 16th and June 15th, are only taxed from 

 six to nine-tenths of the regular rate, while those operated 

 during the summer pay an extra tax of from 1 to 3 marks a 

 hectoliter. The lower rate is granted by the government for 

 the encouragement of agricultural distilling. 



The following data 1 give a better idea of the real number of 

 country stills. During the fiscal year ending October 1, 1901, 

 there were in operation 74,840 distilleries. Of these 11,960 

 were classified as "agricultural," 1,211 as "industrial," while 

 the remainder, 61,669, used materials "not mealy" in char- 

 acter, such as fruit, pomace, wine, brewers' grains, etc. The- 

 by-products of these stills cannot be fed to animals as a rule, 

 but they are usually connected with agricultural operations. 

 By "agricultural" distilleries are meant those in operation 

 only during the period indicated by the revenue law in which 

 "the owner distills grain or potatoes raised by himself ex- 

 clusively, feeds the 'schlempe' to animals owned on the farm, 

 and uses the manure to fertilize the land/" The government 

 is very strict in this classification. "Industrial" distilleries 

 are those run as an independent business, witli the idea of 



1. Vierteljahrsschrift zur Statistik, etc., for the different years, art. "Brannt- 

 wein." 



