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82
MIXED DRINKS.
^ Because she has taken advantage of her fitness of
soil to the vine, her meteorological conditions, her geo
graphical position as regards the European markets and
' incidentally those of the world. The industrious habits
of the peasantry, the favorable system of small land
holdings, or tenure,the almost universal patronage of
the people,particularly the bourgeois and the aristoci'acy,
and the general interest in the subject, the national
pride in the accumulated output, together with com
mercial encouragement, huge investments of capital in
the finished, properly-aged and marketable product,the
care, management and method of stoi'age, the activity
of wine merchants who make themselves felt and their
goods appreciated in all civilized countries, and the
tastefu,l fancy of bon vivants wherever there is "good"
society—all these and many more facts that might be
cited have resulted in a great home and foreign trade
and led to the extension pf wine-growing to all but
eight of the eighty-six departments of the realm.
bfow for some startling figures!
Italy,with lazy habits and great natural advantages
but with careless attention to business, annually pro
duces 600,000,000 or 700,000,000 gallons, worth say
$500,000,000. It appears that she can heat France and
not half try; at least she surpasses her in quantity