AMPELIDEZ. 857 
_ bark and 66 maunds of 2nd class bark were collected and 
_ sold by Government agency at Rs. 2 and Rs. 1-8 per maund 
_ Tespectively. 
AMPELIDE. 
VITIS VINIFERA, Linn. 
Fig.—Bentt. & Trim.,.t. 66. The Vine (Eng.), Vigne 
_ cultivée ( Fr.) 
_ Hab.—N.-W. Himalayas. Cultivated elsewhere. Grapes 
4nd raisins. : 
: Vernacular.—Angur, Dakh (Hind.), Drakh (Guz.), Dréksha 
_ (Mar.), Dirakhsha-pazham (7’am.), Dréksha-pandu (Tel.), Drak-— 
_ Shi-hannu (Can.), Drékhyd (Beng.). Raisins, Kishmish, Muna- _ 
_ kha (Pers., Ind.). 
_ History, Uses, &c.—The cultivation of the Vine is of 
great antiquity. Noah planted a vineyard, and by drinking of 
. the wine was made drunk. The wife of Jamshid tried to poison 
herself by drinking the juice of grapes, but the effects pro- 
duced were such as to induce others to taste the poison. 
_ Hesiod gives directions for pruning the vine. According to 
_ Greek tradition, Dionysus taught all nations to cultivate the 
_ Vine and to drink wine ‘The Dionysus of the Greeks and the 
Indra of the Hindus are symbolical of the productive, overflow-— 
ing, and intoxicating power of nature which often carries man 
away from his usual quiet and sober mode of living. The Soma 
of the Hindus and the original wine of Greek tradition was 
_ doubtless the celestial Amrita or Ambrosia. Grapes,in Sanskrit — 
Draksha, are noticed by Susrata and Charaka; in the dried 
State they were used in medicine on account of their demul- 
cent, laxative and cooling properties. It would also appear 
that a spirituous preparation was made from them, and was — 
_ receipt for making which is as follows :—Raisins, 123 Ibs., : 
Water 256 Ibs., boil together until reduced to one-fourth and = 
used as a stimulant under the name of Draksha arishta, the 
