1C 



a number of modern establishments were erected. 1 In 1833, 

 there were 4,057 so-called stills; in 1836, 4,407, but only 

 1,684 operated. 2 This decrease in numbers brought with it 

 no injury but rather advantage to the industry in the more 

 economic use of the materials distilled. Those operated were 

 quite largely agricultural/ 67 7 of the 1,684, and 77 per cent, 

 of all the materials used were potatoes. The number of 

 plants diminished strikingly between 1836 and 1886-87, from 

 4,407 to 663, but to a greater extent in the cities than in the 

 country, the per cents, being 87 and 51 respectively. 



Thuringia is rough and mountainous in all parts and 

 though there are many fertile valleys, agriculture is carried on 

 in a small way only, very few large farms being found. Con- 

 sequently, distilling, agricultural or industrial, never became 

 of great importance and has been in a condition of decline 

 since the development in the other German States has in- 

 creased competition. In 1840 there were operated 69 city and 

 356 country stills; in 1886-87, 6 and 51 respectively. 



In the other States added to the alcohol-tax district grain 

 distilling is of great importance and was early developed, 

 Western Germany, particularly Hanover, Schlewig-Holstein 

 and Hesse-NasSau, being well suited to the raising of grain. 

 Potato culture is carried on extensively, however, and consid- 

 erable quantities of potato alcohol are distilled in country 

 stills in Mecklenburg, Schleswig-Holstein and Hesse. Meck- 

 lenburg" bordering on the Baltic Sea, and with very sandy soil 

 naturally went over to the extensive culture of the potato. In 

 Brunswick the conditions are very similar to those in the 

 adjacent province of Saxony, and potatoes as well as sugar 

 beets were early introduced, resulting in numerous molasses 

 and potato stills. Hesse, Hesse-Nassau and Alsace-Lorraine 

 on the Rhine, the center of German wine culture, contain 

 numerous small fruit and brandy stills. 



In 1872 ^he active distilleries classified as grain, potato and 

 fruit numbered as follows: 3 Schleswig-Holstein, 70, 21; 



1 E. Engel "Die Brauntweinbrennerei in ihrer Beziehung zur Landwirt- 

 schaft, etc.," p. 430. 



'2. Zeitschrift des koenigl. Sachs. Statist. Bureaus. 



3 From Statistik des deut. Reiches, 1874, vol. i, p. 75. Amounts for Alsace- 

 Lorraine for '73. 



