VINE IN ITALY. 107 



seedling grape, and my own experience confirms 

 the theory, that a longer time in general does not 

 intervene between the planting of the seed and 

 the earliest production of the seedling vine, than 

 succeeds the planting of the young orchard, and 

 the period at which it gives to the farmer the 

 first return for his patient care. It appears, 

 therefore, but a fair hypothesis, that success may 

 attend a cultivation from the seed, as the plant 

 will have birth in the soil, will be nurtured un- 

 der the influence of a native sky, and advance 

 towards maturity at a progressive pace with the 

 sure aptitude which nature gives to her children, 

 of accommodating to the circumstances by which 

 they are surrounded. It is objected to the seed- 

 ling, that reliance cannot be had that it will 

 produce the same fruit, as that of the plant from 

 which it was taken. This cannot be controvert- 

 ed ; but it has its favourable view of the counter- 

 poise. It is perfectly familiar to us, that the 

 fruit thus produced, may be so changed during 

 the blossoming of the vine, by the mixture of 

 farina, with that of a neighbouring plant, at the 

 same time in flower, that the seedling of such 

 grape may produce a different fruit. This is as- 

 suredly true. But does it follow that such fruit 

 shall be inferior? It may produce better fruit, 

 affording a better wine, and at all rates, a new 

 variety, an offspring from the fruitful source of 

 nature, from which we constantly see the exten- 

 sion of her vegetable dominions. To such acci- 

 dental source, for example, do we owe the Seckel 

 Pear,* and it may be questioned, whether any 

 member of the family can surpass in the delicacy 



