Chap. 4.] VARIETIES OF THE TINE. 227 



The " albuelis" 60 produces most of its fruit at the top of 

 the tree, the visula at the bottom ; hence, when planted around 

 the same tree, in consequence of these peculiarities in their 

 nature, they bear between them a two-fold crop. One of the 

 black grape vines has been called the " inerticula," 61 though 

 it might with more propriety have been styled the " sobria;" 62 

 the wine from it is remarkably good, and more particularly 

 when old ; but though strong, it is productive of no ill effects, 

 and, indeed, is the only wine that will not cause in- 

 toxication. 



The abundance of their produce again recommends other 

 vines to us, and, in the first place, that known as the " helven- 

 naca." 63 Of this vine there are two kinds ; the larger, which 

 is by some called the "long" helvennaca, and the smaller 

 kind, which is known as the " emarcum,"^ not so prolific as 

 the first, but producing a wine of more agreeable flavour ; it 

 is distinguished by its rounded leaf, but they are both of 

 them of slender make. It is requisite to place forks beneath 

 these vines for the support of their branches, as otherwise it 

 would be quite impossible for them to support the weight of 

 their produce : they receive nutriment from the breezes that 

 blow from the sea, and foggy weather is injurious to them. 

 There is not one among the vines that manifests a greater 

 aversion to Italy, for there it becomes comparatively leafless 

 and stunted, and soon decays, while the wine which it produces 

 there will not keep beyond the summer : no vine, however, 

 thrives better in a poor soil. Graecinus, who has copied from 

 the works of Cornelius Celsus, gives it as his opinion that it is 

 not that the nature of this vine is repugnant to the climate 

 of Italy, but that it is the mode of cultivating it that is 



60 Probably from "albus," "white." Poinsinet thinks that it may 

 have been so called from the Celtic word alb, or alp, a mountain, and that 

 it grew on elevated spots. This, however, is probably fanciful. 



el Called by the Greeks an'tQvaTov, from its comparatively harmless 

 qualities. 



63 Or "sober" vine. 



63 Hardouin says that in his time it was still cultivated about Macerata, 

 in the Roman States. Fee thinks that it may be one of the climbing 

 vines, supported by forks, cultivated in the central provinces of France. 

 See also B. xxiii. c. 19, as to the effects produced by its wine. 



64 Poinsinet gives a Celto- Scythian origin to this word, and says that it 

 means "injured by fogs." This appears to be supported in some measure 

 by what is stated below. 



Q 2 



