MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 47 
place was perhaps that same Persian paradise that produced 
the fig, the peach, and the apricot. 
‘* Alexander the Great found the wild vine on the banks of 
the Hydaspes in northern India. The mountains of Fer- 
distan, in Persia, probably supplied the vines which were firsti 
cultivated by man; the wine of Shirez is made from vines 
growing on those hills.’’ 
According to European experts the two best varieties of 
the grape are Black Hamburg and Muscat of Alexandria, and 
this has proved to be the case in St. Louis. These two va- 
rieties ripen their fruit before the other varieties in the same 
house, and in other ways as well are more satisfactory. Other 
standard varieties of repute are Foster’s Seedling (white) 
originated about 1836, but not becoming popular until twenty 
years later. Gros Maroe (black) was introduced about 1855 
by M. Vibert of Angers. This variety, like its predecessor, 
was little grown for a number of years until T. H. Rivers 
exhibited specimens at the Royal Horticultural Society of 
England. From this time it held its place in all fruit exhibi- 
tions. The same may be said of Gros Colman, Mr. Thomson 
of Scotland being the first to recognize its possibilities and to 
grow it on a large scale for market. As grown at the Garden 
it is the latest variety, producing usually large colored fruit. 
Grape vines properly cared for live for an indefinite period. 
One of the oldest existing vines is the notable plant at Hamp- 
ton Court Palace, London, England. It was planted during 
1769 in a small greenhouse and as the plant increased in size 
the house was rebuilt in proportion. At the present time the 
main trunk is almost two feet in diameter, and its roots have 
ramified through the ground to a considerable distance; in 
fact it has been reported they have reached the River Thames 
in the vicinity. The plant is in perfect health, attested to by 
the fact that many hundreds of bunches of grapes are pro- 
duced annually. 
While forcing fruit in greenhouses is widely practiced on 
the large private estates in the East, in this part of the coun- 
try it is seldom resorted to. The quality of fruit grown 
under glass is frequently superior to that of outdoor cultiva- 
tion, and forced grapes may be purchased on the New York 
market, which were grown in the London district or even 
farther away. In planning a grapery, the style of house is 
