46 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 
writer proposes to give a brief history, drawn from various 
authorities. 
“The vine is universally known for its fruit, and for pro- 
ducing the first liquor of the world; a liquor, notwithstanding 
all that is said of its dangerous qualities, that is yet eagerly 
drank by all who can procure it, and preferred before all 
others by those who are unlimited in their means and choice. 
The Grape is, among fruits, what wheat is among cereals, or 
the potato among farinaceous roots; and like them, in every 
country where it will grow, is cultivated with pre-eminent 
care. 
‘“The use of the vine is from remote antiquity, and often 
mentioned in Holy Writ. Noah planted a vineyard after the 
deluge, and made wine from the grapes (Gen. ix. 20, 21). 
The vine was known to the Egyptians and is represented on 
their monuments (as the writer has seen it pictured in the 
tombs of the kings at Thebes in Upper Egypt, of a date many 
centuries before the Christian era). The Israelites, in their 
journey through the wilderness, longed for the vines of 
Egypt (Numb. xx. 5). 
“Vineyards abounded in Canaan when the Israelites took 
possession of it and in Syria at the present day clusters 
weighing ten and twelve pounds have been gathered. Fre- 
quent allusions are made in the Bible to vineyards, to vine- 
dressers, to rejoicings at the vintage, the gathering and glean- 
ing of the grapes, the treading of the grapes, the wine-presses 
and the wine-vats—all indicating the important place which 
the vine occupied among the productions of Palestine. Israel 
is represented as a vine brought from Egypt and planted by 
the Lord. Dwelling under the vine and fig tree is an emblem 
of peace and tranquility (Zac. iii. 10). 
‘In Grecian mythology Bacchus, to whom more temples 
have been erected than to any other deity, is said in ancient 
times to have brought the vine from India, where the cultiva- 
tion in modern times has become neglected. The vine, a mi- 
gratory climber, which has run around the globe, twined high 
in man’s affections, and made surprising inroads on _ his 
pocket, has several disputed birthplaces. According to the 
legends, Africa owed it to Osiris, and Europe to Bacchus. 
The Jews claimed it for the slopes of Mt. Hebron. Its birth- 
