MARCH] THE VINEYARD. -245 



regale themselves with its juice, very little wine being made at that 

 time within the compass of Italy ; and the foreign wines which they 

 imported from Asia were so dear, that they were rarely introduced 

 at an entertainment, and when they were, each guest was indulged 

 only with a single draught. But in the seventh century of Rome, 

 as their conquests augmented the degree of their wealth, this luxury 

 was sought after with avidity, and wines became the object of par- 

 ticular attention. In the progress of their conquests, the westerly 

 parts of the European continent was at once subjected to the arms 

 and enriched with the vines of Italy ; its cultivation went on but 

 slowly for some time in these countries, where it has since become a 

 staple article of great national importance, perhaps occasioned by the 

 same kind of doubts, fears, prejudices, and apprehensions that now 

 operate against it in the United States ; but these at length were sur- 

 mounted by the industry of a few cultivators who had penetration 

 enough to perceive its practicability, and who, no doubt, were amply 

 remunerated, in consequence of being first in market with large 

 quantities : others perceiving their fortunate success, copied their ex- 

 amples, in expectation of obtaining like profits. Similar to this will 

 be its progress in America, and those who first commenced the busi- 

 ness by planting on an extensive scale, will assuredly reap the richest 

 harvests. 



The culture of the vine for some time will be an experimental 

 business with us; however, the first object is to obtain the kinds that 

 will immediately, or soonest, accommodate themselves to the different 

 regions of the Union; perhaps those from Madeira, or the Cape of 

 Good Hope, would best suit in the southern States ; those from the 

 south of Europe, in the middle; and those from Burgundy, Cham- 

 pagne, Switzerland, Bordeaux, or the banks of the Rhine, in the 

 eastern States. Trials of this kind should be made, and the result 

 carefully attended to ; and, indeed, each and every of the States 

 should give a fair trial to the vines of every country, from whence 

 they can be procured ; by which means, and by which only, they can 

 discover those best adapted to their respective soils and climates. 



There is not the least doubt but the vines of a temperate climate 

 can be naturalized in any State in the Union in a very short time : 

 for there is an astonishing facility in plants to accommodate them- 

 selves to soil and climate, and in very few more than in the vine. 

 The helianthus annuus, or common annual sunflower, is a native of 

 Mexico and Peru; and yet we all know that it now grows in every 

 part of the Union where introduced, as well as if it were indigenous. 

 The helianthus tuberosus, or what is commonly called the Jerusalem 

 artichoke, is a tropical plant, being a native of Brazil, and is become 

 naturalized to our climates, as well as to those of Europe, as far north 

 as St. Petersburg, and perhaps farther. The cherry-tree, when first 

 introduced into Italy by Lucullus, a Roman general, from the city of 

 Cerasus, in Pontus, whence its name Prunus Cerasus, was there 

 treated as a tender exotic ; by degrees it had crept into Britain, 

 where it was treated for some time in like manner ; and experience 

 now proves that it thrives in America as well as in Italy, Britain, 

 or Pontus itself. Thousands of other instances could be adduced of 



