e injurious to the trade of Bordeaux. There
was at that time a College of Jesuits established in that country, the
superiors of which caused the wine to be cultivated with great success,
and quantities of it were at that time sent to France. As that
territory is now in our possession, and its soil and climate peculiarly
favourable to the growth of the grape, which is indigenous there, may
it not be an object well worth the attention of our government, to
encourage and improve the growth of the wine in that section of the
union; which wise measure would, probably, in a few years, supply our
own consumption, and leave a considerable surplus for exportation. To
offer an apology for giving these subjects a place in this publication,
seems wholly unnecessary, when their importance is considered.

PREFACE.

Brewing, in every country, whose soil and climate are congenial to the
production of the raw materials, should be ranked among the first
objects of its domestic and political economy. If any person doubt the
truth of this position, I have only to request him to cast an eye on
England, where the brewing capital is estimated at more than fifteen
millions sterling; and the gross annual revenue, arising from this
capital, at seven million five hundred thousand pounds sterling,
including the hop, malt, and extract duties. Notwithstanding this
enormous excise of 50 per cent. on the brewing capital, what immense
fortunes have been made, and are daily making, in that country, as well
as in Ireland and Scotland, by the intelligent and judicious practice
of this _more than useful art_. Yet how much stronger inducements for
similar establishments in this country, where we have no duty on the
raw materials, or the extract;[1] and where the important article of
hops is raised in as high perfection as in any part of Europe, and
often for one third of the price paid in England. But a still more
important consideration is the health and morals of our population,
which appears to be essentially connected with the progress of the
brewing trade. In proof of this assertion, I will beg leave to state
a well known fact; which is, that in proportion as the consumption
of malt liquors have increased in our large towns and cities, in
that proportion has the health of our fellow citizens improved, and
epidemics and intermittents, become less frequent. The same observation
holds good as respects the country, where it is well known that thos