REPORT OF COMMITTEE ox PUBLICATION 321 



Mr. Vassardakis: "It would have been unjustifiable had Greece not taken 

 part in this International Congress of Viticulture to extend to you greetings 

 and welcome. Our country was the first to make wine from the grape and 

 the ancient Greeks for several centuries gave preference to wine made from 

 dried to that made from fresh grapes. Theophrastus says that the islanders 

 of Chio were the first to plant the vine and to make wine from the grape; 

 an art which was imparted to them by (Enopceos, the son of Bacchus, and 

 which they afterward taught to ether mortals. 



Ai. other legend has it that Bacchus taught the art to Icarus as a reward 

 for his hospitality to the vine-garlanded god. 



"I haven't time to tell you of the methods we employ in the making of 

 wine and of the enemies that attack the vine. As you are probably aware, 

 in my country only, and in a few districts of Greece, can the wholesome and 

 delicious currant be grown, and that all attempts to transplant the currant- 

 vine in other lands of nearly similar climatic conditions, such as Asia Minor, 

 Sicily, California, and others, have failed. In Greece itself it thrives only on 

 a narrow strip of laud, near the southern shore of the Gulf of Corinth, and 

 on four of the Ionian Islands. 



"Pliny, writing in the first century of the Christian era, mentions the tiny 

 Greek grape, of fine quality and of thin skin. Be this as it may, the Greeks 

 of the present day will hear of no other land as the mother of the currant- 

 vine than the classic plains of Corinth, from which the product derives its 

 Greek name, meaning 'Corinthian Raisins,' of which the English word 'cur- 

 rants' is, no doubt, a slight corruption. 



"In the name of my country I invite you cordially to hold your next 

 meeting in Athens, in 1921. We will extend to you one of the most cordial 

 of welcomes, and I hope this invitation will be accepted. 



"I also invite you to be present tomorrow afternoon at the opening 

 ceremonies of the Grecian Pavilion, where there will be a production by 

 La Loie Fuller a Grecian garden fete around Phidias' statute of Pallas 

 Athene, and concluding with a performance of the Worship of Pan." 



President Alwood: "Before adjournment, I shall take time to say a few 

 words. 



"Possibly it may come in bad grace from me to say that the Congress, 

 notwithstanding the unfortunate world disturbances that have hindered its 

 proper organization, has proven a success. I wish someone else would say 

 this, but as no one else seems inclined to do so, I must say it myself. It 

 has not been what it might have been had we had with us our able colleagues 

 from across the water, but we have shown that Americans can hold a viticul- 

 tural congress. 



"We have had with us our brother from Portugal, our brother from 

 Greece, and our brother from Japan and are proud and glad, and if our 

 colleagues from other foreign countries couM have been with us, we would 

 have had a most successful congress indeed. 



