HISTORY OP THE VINE, &c, 



GRAPE VINE VITIS. 



CLASS, PENTANDRIA ORDER, MONOOYNIA. 

 NATURAL ORDER Vites. 



THE Vine derives its generic name from the Latin word, 

 vincire, to bind, than which no other can be more appropriate. 



The appellation, " The Vine" as used by different authors, 

 invariably refers to the varieties of one species, the Vitis vinifera 

 of botanists. 



The Grape Vine is universally known to be a trailing, 

 deciduous shrub, with a twisted irregular stem, flexible branches, 

 decumbent, or supporting themselves when near other trees by 

 means of its tendrils ; the bark is of a light or dark brown colour, 

 separating in strips from the stalk and renewing itself annually; 

 the leaves generally large, but vary in form and appearance, 

 being entire, serrated, more or less lobed, downy or smooth, 

 of a lighter or darker shade of green, or with a reddish tinge 

 during summer, but varying at maturity in autumn; those 

 varieties of which the predominating colour is red, almost in- 

 variably changing to, or are tinged with some shade of that 

 colour, and those which produce white, green, or yellow grapes, 

 changing to a yellow colour without being tinged with purple, 

 red, or scarlet. The breadth of the leaves varies from five to 

 ten inches, and the length of the petiole from four to eight 



