NOMENCLATURE OF GRAPES. (55 



is competent to the continued fertility of any of her produc- 

 tions, where they have a suitable soil and appropriate culture, 

 to a period ad infinitum. 



In conclusion, however, it may be remarked, that in southern 

 latitudes, where the climate is sufficiently warm to mature 

 every variety, it is not necessary to make the selection of vines 

 with a particular regard to early maturity, and therefore in 

 such localities the soil may justly be made the primary consi- 

 deration ; but in climates farther to the north, or in other re- 

 spects inappropriate, the selection of the variety must neces- 

 sarily occupy the first point for our consideration, and is that 

 on which the entire success depends. 



CHAPTER X. 



Nomenclature of grapes. 



Distinctions of the varieties of the vine have long been 

 obscure and empiric, and there yet exists a multitude of kinds 

 in regard to which no general points of agreement have been 

 established, or terms and characters agreed on as permanent 

 expressions by which they may be universally designated and 

 recognised. 



The names given by the Romans to their vines differ so 

 much from those of modern date, that it would be difficult to 

 recognise them, and to realize their identity with those of the 

 present day, and a few instances only exist where they can be 

 distinctly identified, or where the titles have remained un- 

 changed. Virgil has given us the names of some of the kinds 

 most celebrated in his time, and Pliny is quite copious on the 

 subject, but even his list is far from being perfect. 



Columella, one of the most intelligent and distinguished 

 Latin natural philosophers, particularizes (De re rustica, lib. 

 iii. cap. 2.) fifty-eight varieties of the vine. Crescenzio, the 



9 



