434 



JOUKNAL OF THE ROYAL HOETICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



increasing the average yield of wine from 294 to 343 gallons per acre. 

 Assuming, therefore, that last year's average per acre occurs at intervals, 

 and that when the gradual replanting of the areas has been completed, 

 the acreage, instead of being 4,326,000, as in 1900, amounts to 6,250,000, 

 as in 1875, the vineyards of France alone will yield in such exceptional 

 years the astounding total of 2,144 million gallons ; so that, with her 

 population practically stationary, she will then have 680 million gallons 

 of grape-juice more than last year — a surplus over her own requirements 

 sufficient alone to provide every inhabitant of the United Kingdom with 

 some twenty gallons of wine per annum, as against the half-gallon or less 

 now consumed. 



Nothing more conclusively exhibits the efficacy of the replanting in 

 connection with the methods adopted by the French wine-grower — which, 

 while eradicating the phylloxera, have at the same time so fertilised his 

 vineyards as to compel every foot of his holding to yield its utmost — than 

 the steady upward tendency, for many years past, of the volume of grape- 

 juice obtained, as will be seen by the following 



Table showing the Annual Average Production of Wine in France during 



Three Five-Year Periods. 



Five years' average 



Five years' average 



Five years' average 



i886-1890 



1891-1895 



1896-1900 



573 million gallons 



771 million gallons 



980 million gallons 



The magnitude of last year's yield of 1,482 million gallons may be 

 appreciated when it is remembered that, enormous as is the beer con- 

 sumption of thirty-four gallons per head for every man, woman, and child 

 in Great Britain and Ireland — amounting to 1,860 million gallons — yet 

 even this total was exceeded by 122 million gallons of wine in France in 

 the 1900 vintage. This quantity will allow amply for all her exports, 

 and yet provide a surplus of wine for her own use fully equal to the 

 annual beer consumption of the United Kingdom. It is interesting also 

 to recall the fact that, while this enormous production of wine is more 

 than enough for her current requirements, France has frequently in 

 former years had to look to adjoining countries such as Italy and Spain, 

 in addition to her own colonial possessions of Algeria, Tunis, and Corsica, 

 to make up a sufficiency for the normal consumption of her national 

 beverage. 



It will therefore be preferable to begin with France as an exhibitor of 

 her own produce, and to touch mainly on the categories of wine best 

 known to this kingdom, and which therefore may probably be found the 

 most suitable varieties for growing in our Colonies. 



In view of the fact that the official catalogue of Class 60, under which 

 alcoholic beverages were arranged, contained 637 pages of closely printed 

 particulars of the exhibits, it would be impossible within the limits of 

 this paper to discuss them with anything approaching minuteness. 

 Indeed, commercially speaking, the task when completed would be useless, 

 for it is certain that the enterprising Frenchman and the intelligent im- 

 porter have long since discovered what wines are suitable for sale in this 



