BOOK XIV. IV. 33-36 



valuablc property, if indccd it is triie that tliere is 

 any vine tliat is exempt from the powcr of the 

 cHmate. 



The spionia, called by some the thorn-vine, is able to 

 bear heat, and is ripened by rainy weather in autumn ; 

 what is more, indeed, it is the only vine that thrives 

 from fog, on which account it is specially grown in the 

 district of Ravenna. The venicula is one of the best 

 vines that shed their flowers, and its grapes are par- 

 ticularly well suited for preserving in jars ; the people 

 of Campania prefer to call it by the name of surcula, 

 and others by that of scapula, while the name for it 

 at Tarracina is Numisiana ; it has no strength of its 

 own but is entirely conditioned by the strcngth of the 

 soil ; all the same, as far south as Vesuvius it is very 

 potent if kept in earthenware jars from Sorrento. 

 For at Vesuvius there is Murgentina, a very strong 

 vine imported from Sicily, called by some Pompeiana, 

 which only bears well in a rich soil, just as the horconia 

 vine only flourishes in Campania. The opposite is 

 the case with the arceraca, called in Virgil" argitis, 

 which has the property of imparting extra richness to 

 the soil, while itself offering a very stout resistance to 

 rain and to old age, though it will hardly produce 

 wine every year, and its grapes are only valued for 

 eating, but it bears exceptionally large crops. The 

 mettica vine also stands the years, and faces all 

 weather very strongly ; it bears a black grape, and 

 its wines acquire a reddish colour in old age. 



The kinds of vine mentioned so far are grown itaiian locai 

 everywhere, but those remaining belong to particular ^^apeljor 

 districts and places, or are crosses producedby grafting making^ 

 one of these on another: thus among the vines of 

 Tuscany that of Todi is a special variety, and also 



209 



wine. 



