196 



a space containing 137 square yards ; and it 

 was judged, that, had it been permitted, it 

 would have extended to three or four times 

 the room. The circumference of the stem, a 

 little above the ground, is three feet eleven 

 inches : it is supposed to have been planted 

 150 years. 



In Jamaica, and some other of the West- 

 India islands, the vine produces two, and 

 often three crops a year. Both Brown and 

 Lunan observe, that grape-vines produce 

 most abundantly in Jamaica, particularly 

 the Muscadine, which ripens all it& berries 

 nearly at the same time, and has clusters 

 of the fruit from eight to ten pounds weight ; 

 the pulp of which has been found less wa- 

 tery, and more fleshy, than the same fruit 

 in the south of France, and yet the making 

 of wine even for the consumption of the 

 island has never been attempted. 



There are several accounts of actual 

 vineyards being in England in an early pe- 

 riod of our history. Vineyards are noticed in 

 the Doomsday Book, as also by Bede, as 

 early as the commencement of the eigath 

 century. 



The isle of Ely was expressly denomi- 

 nated the isle of vines by the Normans. The 

 Bishop of Ely, shortly after the Conquest, 



