Genus VITIS, Linn. 



VitacesB. 



Si/st. Nat. 



Vitis, Cissus, Ampeloj>sis, 



Vigne, 



Weinstock, Rebe, 

 Vite, 

 \rid,^ 



fideira., 



fVinograd, 

 JEneeb, 

 Grape-vine, 



Synonymes. 



Pentandria Monogynia. 



Syst. Lin. 



Of Authors. 



France. 



Germany. 



Italy. 



Spain. 



Portugal. 



Russia. 



Arabia. 



Britain and Anglo-America. 



Derivattcns. The Latin word Vitis, from which are derived nearly all the European names, comes from the Celtic gteya, a 

 tree or shrub ; lh letter g beinsr siippressed in the pronunciation, according to the usase of the Celtic nations. Cissus, the 

 Greek name of the ivy, was applied to this genu.s by Linnaeus, from tlie .supposed resemblance of some of the species to that 

 plant. Ainpelopsis is derived from the Greek ampelos, a vine, and opsiii, appearance, and was applied by Michaux to several 

 species of American grape-vines, from the resemblance of their habits, leaves, and flowers to those of the Virginian creeper 

 (Ampelopsis quinquefolia.) 



Generic Characters. Flowers hermaphrodite, dicEcious or tricEcious. Calyx commonly 5-toothed. Petals 

 5, cohering at the top, separating at the base, and deciduous. Stamens 5. Climbing shrubs, decidu- 

 ous, with leaves simple, lobed, or serrated, sometimes compound, and small greenish-yellow flowers 

 in thyrsoid racemes. De Candolle, Prodromus. 



|HE genus Vitis is found indigenous in the equinoctial regions of 

 both continents, and extends into the temperate zones as far south- 

 ward as the Cape of Good Hope and New Holland: and north- 

 ward, to Japan and North America, as well as from the plains of 

 India to the defiles of Caucasus. The VJtis vinifera or wine-bear- 

 ing vine of Europe, has long been celebrated in the old world, 

 and may be traced back to remote antiquity. Its cultivation was probably 

 among the earliest efforts of human industry ; for we read that one of the first 

 acts of Noah, after being saved from the deluge, was to plant a vineyard. 



" And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard ;" 



Genesis, ix. 20. 



thus plainly indicating that the planting of a vineyard, even at that early day, 

 was deemed one of the primary and most important acts of him who tilled the 

 earth. The grape, among fruits, is what wheat is among the cereal grains, or 

 the potato among farinaceous roots ; and like them, in every country where it 

 will grow, is cultivated with pre-eminent care. 



The Vitis vinifera is generally considered to have originated in Persia; and 

 Dr. Sickler, in his " Geschichte der Obst-Cultur," has given an interesting 

 account of its migration to Egypt, Greece, and Sicily. From the latter country, 

 which is regarded as one of the oldest seats of civilization in Europe, it is said 

 to have found its way into Italy, Spain, and France. It is supposed to have 

 been introduced into Britain by the Romans, but during what reign is uncertain. 

 There were vineyards, however, in England, according to the venerable IJede, 

 towards the close of the Hid century. This species has existed for ages, in a 

 wild state, in the woods and hedges of Provence, LaLguedoc, and Guicnne, in 

 France, where it differs from the cultivated vine, in having smaller and more 

 cottony leaves, and very small fruit, rather austere than sweet. These wild 

 vines, which were called by the ancients labrusca, are still known in the south 



