THE VINE AND CIVILISATION. 65 
Vitis Cordifolia. (Michaux). Winter or Frost Grape; 
heart-shaped leaves, harsh fruit. In Howard county, Mo. ; 
85 feet high, 22 inches circumference of stem. 
Vitis Riparia. (Michaux.) River Grape; sweet scented. 
A variety of V. Cordifolia; 120 feet high, 27 inches in circum- 
ference. In Howard county. 
Vitis Vulpina. (Zinn.) V. Rotundifolia. (Michaux. ) 
The Southern Fox or Muscadine; shining leaves coarsely 
toothed, some times lobed, berries large, with a musky acerb 
taste; abounds from Maryland to the South; reported by 
Prof. Swallow; 130 feet high, and 9 inches circumference. In 
Dunklin county, Mo. The Scuppernong of the South is con- 
sidered to be a variety of V. Vulpina, which never bears fruit 
at St. Louis, even with winter protection. 
Vitis Cinerea. (Engelmann.) The downy leaved grape 
of the Mississippi Valley. The lamented Dr. George Engel- 
mann lately published a valuable treatise on the Grape Vines 
of the United States, with a table of drawings of grape seeds, 
which he found to exhibit some reliable differences as to spe- 
cies. The vine in its native state produces sterile and fertile 
flowers; the fertile produce fruit without the assistance of the 
male or sterile flowers. The form of the leaves is extremely 
variable, nor can much of the distinctive character be made 
out of the flowers; but the time of flowering is quite a charac- 
teristic of our native species. Riparia flowers first and Cinerea 
last, so the doctor observes, we are not likely to have any grape 
vines in flower before April 25th, nor after June 20th. Speak- 
ing of hybrids: ‘‘ There is, of course, a good deal of experi- 
ence and judgment necessary to distinguish what may be a 
hybrid and what only a variety ; and it may be put down as a 
law that honest nature abhors hybridization.” 
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