BOOK XIV. IV. 25-28 



grape, and such small clusters that it does not pay 

 to grow it except in a very rich soil. The eugenia, 

 with its name denoting high quaUty, has been im- 

 ported from the hills of Taormina to be grown only 

 in the territory of Alba, as if transplanted else- 

 where it at once degenerates : for in fact some vines 

 have so strong an affection for certain localities that 

 they leave all their reputation behind there and 

 cannot be transphmted elsewhere in their full vigour. 

 This occurs also with the Rhaetian and Allobrogian 

 grapes — the latter the grape with the flavour of pitch 

 which we mentioned above — which are famous at § 18. 

 home but not worth recognition elsewhere. All the 

 same, being good bearers they make up in quantity 

 what they lack in quahty, the eugenia grape in 

 warm locahties, the Raetic in those with a moderate 

 cHmate and the Allobrogian in cold districts, as it 

 ripens in frost and has a black colour. The wines 

 made from the grapes so far mentioned, even from 

 the black ones, turn to a white colour with age. 

 The remaining vines are of no quahty, although 

 occasionally owing to the agency of chmate or soil 

 they are not disappointing when old, as in the case 

 of the Faecenian vine, and that of Bourges* which 

 blossoms at the same time but has fewer grapes ; their 

 blossom is never hable to injury, as they do not come 

 before the west wind of early spring and can with- 

 stand wind and rain, although they do better in cold 

 places than in warm ones and in damp situations than 

 in dry . The visulla ' bears clusters of large size rather 

 than closely packed; it cannot stand changes of 

 weather, but lasts well against a continuous spell of 

 cold or heat. The smaller variety of this kind is the 

 better one. It is difficult to please in choice of soil, 



203 



