166 



FAMILIES OF FLOWEKING PLANTS 



Continent. 



V. vinifera is native of the eastern and southern shores of 



the Caspian and the Black seas, 

 and a number of species occur 

 throughout India, China and Ja- 

 pan. In North America the spe- 

 cies belong to distinct groups. 

 The fox-grapes are characterized 

 by dense clusters of fruit having a 

 soft pulp and a strong, musky fla- 

 vor. V. Labrusca, an example of 

 this class, is our commonest north- 

 eastern species. In cultivation it 

 gives rise to those excellent vari- 

 eties of hardy grapes known as the 

 Concord, Isabella and Catawba. 

 The muscadine, or buUace grapes, 

 constitute another type, repre- 

 sented in the Southern States by 

 V. rotimdifolia; this has nearly 



Fig. 144. Fruiting branch of Sloan ea quadii- 

 valvis, a tree of the Elaeocarpus Family. Original. 



orbicular leaves, without lobes 

 and the berries are solitary or 

 few. The famous "scupper- 

 noug " of the South is derived 

 from this species; its fruit, 

 with a plum-like pulj), is ex- 

 celled by no other grape un- 

 less it be by the Tokays of Cal- 

 ifornia. 



Grape cultivation in Eu- 

 rope is almost entirely for the 

 j)roduction of mne, the annual 

 consumption of which, partic- 

 ularly in the Old World, 

 reaches enormous proportions. 

 In western Asia Minor grapes 

 are grown largely for drying, 

 in which condition they are 

 familiarly known as raisins. 

 Cooking currants, so-called, 

 are not true currants, but 

 small seedless raisins of a 

 more acid variety. 



The Yitaceae, which were 

 formerly called Ampelidaceae, 



Fig. 145. One of the jute plants {Corchorus olilo- 

 lorius) showing leaves, flower and fruit. Original. 



