THE GRAPE VINE. 107 



CHAPTER XIV. 

 The Grape Vine. 



THE GRAPE VINE (Vitis vinifera) has been cultivated by 

 man from the earliest period of human history. Frequent 

 references are made to it in Holy Writ. In Genesis, for 

 instance, we are told that Noah planted a vineyard and 

 made wine. The Romans and Grecians also cultivated 

 the Vine extensively. It is assumed that the former intro- 

 duced the Vine into England. We learn that the Emperor 

 Domitian, in the first century of the Christian era, ordered 

 the destruction of the Vine in Britain, France, and Spain 

 for some reason or other; and that two centuries later 

 the Emperor Probus commanded that the Vine should 

 again be cultivated in this island. Rumour goes so far 

 as to say that the Emperor Probus preferred the wines 

 of Britain to those of Iberia and Gaul. 



In the earlier centuries vineyards were numerous. They 

 were chiefly attached to monastries, the monks in those 

 days paying special attention to the cultivation of the 

 Vine and other fruits. In the Domesday Book thirty- 

 eight vineyards are recorded as being then in existence. 

 Gloucestershire is recorded to have been famous for its 

 vineyards, and others existed in Kent, Norfolk, Surrey, 

 etc. In the twelfth century, it appears, the interest in 

 Vine growing began to decline, and vineyards practically 

 disappeared with the suppression of the monasteries in 

 the reign of King Henry VIII. Henceforth the culture 

 of the Grape for wine-making was carried on mainly in 

 France. The end of the eighteenth century saw the dis- 

 appearance of the vineyard in England. Some forty years 

 ago the then Marquis of Bute planted a vineyard at 

 Castel-Coch, in Glamorganshire, and in later years some 

 excellent wine was made from the produce. The Royal 



