18 CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 



In round figures, the aggregate number of acres in culti- 

 vation in Europe for the production of wine is twelve mil- 

 lions. The number of gallons produced is three billions. 



The value, at an average price to the producer of 

 twenty-five cents per gallon, would give the enormous 

 sum of $776,759,750. But this estimate of twenty-five 

 cents per gallon is really applicable only to the common 

 wines, which, it is true, are produced in much larger 

 quantity than the choice brands. Though the table indi- 

 cates great inequality in the number of gallons produced 

 ( per acre, yet the actual profit on each acre may not be so 

 unequal. For example, Italy is put down in the table as 

 averaging four hundred and forty-one gallons per acre. 

 This must be very light wine, commanding a low price ; 

 probably less than twenty-five cents to the producer. 

 On the other hand, the Swiss wines of the Rhine, pro- 

 duced at an average of thirty-three and three-eighths 

 gallons per acre, will probably yield a larger revenue 

 than the same amount of land in Italy. In the exami- 

 nation of a list of sales by auction at Eberach, of wine 

 in barrels, of the vintages of 1857-8 and 9, of which 

 Mumm and other celebrated dealers were purchasers, I 

 find that but little was sold under two dollars per gallon, 

 while the average was between three and four dollars ; 



