sturtevant's notes on edible plants 603 



V. trifolia Linn. 



Asia and Australian tropics. The leaves are acid and edible.' 



V. uvifera Baker. 



Tropical Africa. The berries are black, ptalpy, of an austere, acid taste but are eaten 

 by the natives.^ 



V. vinifera Linn. European grape, wine grape. 



The European grape is found wild on the coast of the Caspian, in Armenia and in 

 Karamania. From Asia, it passed into Greece and thence into Sicily. The Phocians 

 carried it to the south of France; the Romans planted it on the banks of the Rhine. This 

 grape is of the most ancient culture. Full details of wine-making and vineyards are 

 figured under the Fourth (2440 B. C), Seventeenth (1680 B. C.) and Eighteenth (1525 

 B. C.) Dynasties in Egypt, and vineyards and wine are mentioned in the Scriptural history 

 of Noah. Its introduction into all parts of the world has but multiplied its peculiarities. 

 Virgil ' says " we neither can recount how numerous the species, nor what are their names, 

 nor imports it to comprise their number; which whoever would know the same may seek 

 to learn how numerous are the sands of the Libyan sea tossed by the zephyr; as to know 

 how many waves of the Ionian sea come to the shores, when Eurus, more violent, falls 

 upon the ships." In the time of Chaptal,^ about 1825, there were 1400 varieties entunerated 

 in the Lvtxembourg catalog obtained from France alone; the Geneva catalog numbered 

 600; Presl * describes 44 varieties as cultivated in Sicily; Redding * notices 12 kinds near 

 Shiraz, Persia; and Bumes ' 10 kinds at Cabul. The Pinceau variety of France was 

 known as long ago as 1394.' 



Some believe that the vine was introduced into England by the Romans, while, 

 according to others, it was first brought by the Phoenicians, who also have the credit of 

 having transplanted it from Palestine to the islands of the Mediterranean. The earliest 

 English chronicles make mention of vineyards, and vine culture is said to have continued 

 until the Reformation; but the English climate is not suitable and the grape is grown only 

 tmder glass except in a few favored locations. The vine was brought to the New World 

 by Colimibus, and, in 1494 at Hayti, " cuttings from European vines already began to 

 form their clusters." ' In 1741, there were some thousands of vines from Portugal thriving 

 at Augusta, Georgia,'" and there are accoimts of this vine in New Albion in 1647." There 

 are accounts of wine-making from grapes of unknown species in Virginia in 1630, 1647, 



Unger, F. U. S. Pat. Of. Rpi. 359. 1859. {Cissus crenata) 

 'Don, G. Hist. Dichl. Pis. 1:690. 1831. 

 ' Virgil Ceorgics lib. 2, verse 103-108. 

 U. S. Pat. Off. Rpt. 540. 1859. 

 'Hooker, W. J. Journ. Bot. 1:106. 1834. 



U. S. Pat. Off. Rpt. 367. i860. 

 ' U. S. Pat. Off. Rpt. 368. i860. 



Daubeny, C. Trees, Shrubs Anc. 71. 1865. 



Irving, W. Columbus i:z&o. 1848. 

 ^Desc.Ga.n. 1741. Force Coll. Tracts 2 : 1838. 



i^ Desc. New Albion i. 1648. Force Coll. Tracts 2: 1838. 



