82 WEEDS AND USEFUL I'LAXTS. 



produced by long culture in different soils, and a number of them are 

 cultivated in the United States, for their delightful fruit ; but the pro- 

 duct is rather uncertain, in this climate, without great care and atten- 

 tion. The excellence of the fruit of the Vine whether fresh, or dried 

 and preserved in the state of Kaisins is universally known and appre- 

 ciated ; while the fermented juice of the Grape has been the theme of 

 eulogy and song (and the excessive use of it, the cause of infinite mis- 

 chief), from the earliest ages down to the establishment of Temperance 

 Societies, in the present day. The Currants, of commerce (Corinths, or 

 Grapes of Corinth) often called Zante Currants are believed to be a 

 small-fruited, nearly seedless variety of this, or perhaps a distinct yet 

 nearly allied species. 



** Flowers diacious-polygamous (Native species). 



2. V. Labrus'ca, L. Leaves roundish-cordate, somewhat 3-lobed, 

 ^acutely dentate, densely tomentose beneath ; racemes simple ; berries 



large. 



Fox-Grape, of the Northern States. 



Stem 15-20 or 30 foot long, straggling over bushes and small trees. Leaves 4-6 inches 

 in length the tomentum beneath tawny ; petioles 2-3 inches long. Berries globose, 

 large (about half an inch in diameter), when mature varying in color from nearly black 

 to dark amber and greenish-white with a thickish coat, a tough central pulp, and a 

 musky or rancid flavor. 



Moist thickets, along streams : Canada to Georgia. Fl. Juno. Fr. September. 



Obs. This grape is distributed from Canada to Texas, and presents a 

 considerable variety in its fruit, being of various colors, and differing 

 in form, size and flavor. In general the fruit has a strong and " foxy " 

 flavor, but some of the varieties have this in a less degree and are highly 

 esteemed. It is supposed that the generally cultivated Isabella and Ca- 

 tawba grapes are varieties of this, as are also several others. 



3. V. 8BStiva'lis, MX. Leaves broadly cordate, often 3-5-lobed or 

 sinuately palmate, coarsely and unequally dentate, loosely tomentose 

 beneath ; fertile racemes mostly compound, long, many-flowered ; ber- 

 ries small. 



SUMMER VITIS. Little Grape. Common Wild Grape. 



Stem 20 -40 and sometimes 60 feet or more in length. Leaves 4- 8 inches long, often 

 palmately lobed with rounded sinuses the younger ones with a loose cobweb-like russet 

 pubescence beneath, which becomes coarser and more hirsute with age, and. sometimes 

 nearly disappears. Berries globose, small (generally about one-fourth of an inch in di- 

 ameter), deep blue or bluish black when mature, and covered with a fine glaucous pow- 

 der the skin thinnish, and the flavor (especially after a little frost) a sprightly agreea- 

 ble acid. 



Rich woodlands and thickets : Connecticut to Florida. Fl. June. F,-. October. 



Obs. This is the tallest climber of all our Grape-vines, in Pennsylva 

 nia ; and I have seen an old vine, of this species, 8-10 inches in diame- 

 ter, at base. The fruit varies in size and quality, the best specimens 

 being well worthy of culture. I have cultivated a native of this vicinity, 

 in which the fruit often equals that of the " English Grape " (or Miller's 



