46 CULTIVATION 



England and America, while the production and 

 consumption of alcoholic liquors has increased in a 

 most astounding proportion. A writer well posted 

 up on this subject, remarks : " In non- winegrowing 

 countries where the use of wine is interdicted 

 by extravagant duties, the consumption of spirits 

 increases in an alarming degree. England, with a 

 population of 24,000,000, consumes 28,000,000 gal- 

 Ions of spirits, exclusive of porter, ale and beer; 

 while France, with a population of 33,000,000, con- 

 sumes but 15,000,000 s^allons of her own brandies, 

 and of those a large p,'„po,.io„ is need in manufec 

 tures, in fortifying wines for shipment, and in the 

 preparation of fruits and confections made only in 

 her own territories. The manufacture of whiskey, 

 spirits, and ale, for home consumption in the United 

 States, amounts to 86,000,000 of gallons annually : 

 this is exclusive of exports ! In regard to the high 

 duties on wines in England, Eedding says, " The 

 enormity of the duty is the cause of the diminished 

 consumption of wine. In the year 1700, the popu- 

 lation of England was 5,475,000, and wine con- 

 sumed, a little less than 6,000,000 gallons per 

 annum. In 1851, the population was 17,922,000, 

 while the consumption of wine was only 6,448,517 

 gallons. It is clear that the people of England one 

 hundred and fifty years ago, drank three times as 

 much wine, in proportion, as they do now. The 

 natural consequence has been the increased con- 

 sumption of spirits. From 1730 to 1830, the con- 

 sumption of British made spirits increased from 



