The statistics in regard to the consumption and production of wines can be observed by referring to the table given under malt liquors (page 267), where it will be seen that in the year 1886, 22,067,220 gallons were consumed, of which 17,366,393 gallons were produced in this country. The consumption per capita has not increased very greatly during the forty-six years since 1840, but the total amount consumed has increased very greatly, it being less than 5,000,000 gallons in 1840. It will be noticed also that the amount produced in this country in proportion to the amount imported has increased to a remarkable degree. In 1840 there was about thirty-eight times as much wine imported as was produced in this country; in 1886 the amount of domestic wine consumed was nearly four times as great as the amount of wine imported. This does not fully represent the production, however, for it does not include the exports, which have increased very greatly of late years, as I am reliably informed, although I have no accurate data upon this point. The largely increased domestic production is principally due to the development of the industry in California.

The following table shows the relative rank of this country among the wine-producing countries of the world; it is taken from the same source as the preceding statistics :