rate of increase will be 43,312,991 hectolitres, and its value calculated as before, 880,670,020 francs, or £36,694,584 sterling.
The hectare contains 2·3444 English acres, and the hectolitre 26·49 English gallons, so that the extent of land is 4,634,878, and the quantity of wine 1,147,361,231 gallons, being 247½ an acre, and at the price of 7 67d, or rather less than 7½d. a gallon, its gross produce is, £7 18s. 4d. sterling, an acre.
The quantity of land is rather less than it was estimated at by Young, though it has increased since his time, but it was not then ascertained by authority.
"We must not fail to observe," says Chaptal, "that these are the very lowest prices of wine, even in years of the greatest abundance, and that the truth would not be exceeded, were the amount carried to 1,000,000,000 francs." At this price, it comes so very near the estimated produce of Young, that there can be little doubt his calculation of £45 an acre is near the average value of vines in France at present, if the principles on which he establishes the relative value of soils and produce are correct.
"To form a correct idea," continues Chaptal, "of the advantages France draws from her vineyards, it is necessary to take into account, that four-fifths of the soil consecrated to the vine, would remain uncultivated without it. The poorest soils are peculiarly
