276 DOMESTICATED ANIMALS AND PLANTS 
The grape has been cultivated from ancient times and is 
believed by many to be our oldest fruit. Noah, good old man 
Fic. 48. The wild persimmon of the South. With attention it 
might rival the grape in valuable varieties 
as he was, lost his head over the fruit of the vine,! and he has 
been followed by many less worthy successors. 
The Pheenicians are credited with the introduction of the 
grape into Europe, where more than fifteen hundred varieties 
1 Genesis ix. 
