NATUEAL AND CIVIL HISTORY OF THE VINE. 19 



Laliu words, liowever, are derived from a Greek word 

 signifying to bind. Dr. Wliittaker, in a work published 

 in 1638, entitled, "Tlie Tree of Human Life, or tlio 

 Blood of the Grape," expresses liis opinion that the 

 name vinum is derived a vi from its strength, or, per- 

 haps quasi dwinum, because it is a species of the tree 

 of life in Paradise. 



The species of the genus vitis are numerous, though 

 botanists are not agreed as to the distinctive differ- 

 ences, esjDecially as between the European and Ameri- 

 can sorts. In France, Chaptal, when Minister of the 

 Interior, caused 1,400 different varieties of the vine to 

 be collected in the garden of the Luxembourg, and 

 under his direction M. Champagny described as dis- 

 tinct 550 different kinds. Four American species 

 have been usually numbered (some authors describe 

 eight), though the varieties, more or less distinctly 

 marked, probably exceed 300. To the number of the 

 latter, however, there is no limit, as every seed 7nay 

 produce a new variety. 



The vine lives to a great age and attains a great 

 size. Pliny mentions a vine which had lived for GOO 

 years, and in Italy, vineyards have continued in 

 bearing for 300 years, while in some parts of that 

 country, a vineyard of 100 years is still accounted 

 young. 



Its size, whether we regard the European or Ame- 



