Be 3 
| PENTANDRIA. MONOGYNIA. 143 
Leaves simple and cordate, angularly or sinuately lobed, 
rarely digitate or pinnate (Cissus?) flowers numerous, in 
compound racemes, not uncommonly producing 4, 6 and 
_ 7 petals, with a corresponding number of stamens, calix 
mostly entire, or obsoletely crenate; a glandulous disk 
surrounding the germ; tendril dichotomous, sometimes ° 
producing ‘flowers, therefore analogous to a sterile ra- 
ceme. sg 
Species. 1. V. Labrusca. 2. estivalis. Under side of 
the younger leaves spread with an arachnoid tomentum. 
3. cordifolia. 4. riparia. 5. rotundifolia. 6. palmata? All the 
North American species of Vitis, are polygamous and di- 
oicous; the male flower mostly contains an abortive germ. 
It is probable that hybrids betwixt the European vine, 
(Vitis vinifera) and those of the United States would bet- - 
.ter answer the variable climates of North America than 
the unacclimated vine of Europe. When a portion of the 
same industry shall have been bestowed upon the cultiva- 
tion of the native vines of America, as that which has for 
so Many ages and by so many nations been devoted to the 
amelioration of the Vitis vinifera, wecan then no : 
imagine the citizens of the United States indebted to Eu- 
rope for the luxury of wine. It is not, however, inthe 
wilds of uncultivated nature that we are to obtain vines 
worthy of cultivation, were this the case Europe would to 
the present have known no other Malus than the worth- — 
less and austere crab in place of the finest apple,noether = 
Pyrus‘than the acerb and inedible Pyraster or stone pear, — 
from which cultivation has obtained all the other varieties. 
it is from seed that new and valuable varieties are invari- 
ably to be obtained. ‘There is, however, at the present 
time, a variety of one of the native species cultivated under 
the name of ‘ Bland’s grape,’ an hybrid? no Way, in my 
opinion, inferior to some of the best European grapes. 
_ According to the observations of Z. Collins, Esq. who has — 
long cultivated it ina garden, it far exceeds in producing, 
every other vine in the United States, and is perfectly 
hard. : * 4 a ee 2 
of this genus there are besides the Vitis vinifera of 
Europe, 2 species in India, one of them said to be com- 
mon to the West Indies, 2 species in Japan, and 2 without ee 
220, CISSUS. L. AMPELorsis. Mich. he 
- Calice minute, 4 or 5-toothed. Petals 4or5, 
unconnected above, spreading, deciduous. Germ 
