IS THE VINE. 



in Schleswig-Holstein possessed a few vineyards. If the 

 Vine retreated, later on, in a westerly and sontherly 

 direction it was mainly because it was compelled to give 

 way to more prolitable crops. 



On the Ri\'iera the \^ine flowers in April. As far 

 as climate is concerned it would here yield a rich return; 

 but the Ph>'llo.\era, as well as parasitic fungi, have done 

 much damage, witli the result that other crops ha^'e 

 superseded the \'ine to a great extent. Hence it is that 

 vineyards are not often to be seen in tlie fretjiiented 

 parts of tlie Riviera, and the wine that is made here is 

 used mainh' b^■ the natives. 



^riic civilised nations found the Vine also indigenous 

 on European ground. And even tocfe)' the plant seems 

 to occur in a \vild state both north and south of the 

 A1]5S. It would be hard to pro\'e that these wild plants 

 ha\e not escaped from cultivation. But the evidence of 

 Palaeobotan\^ is quite conclusive on this point. For it 

 sliOrt s that in the Middle-Tertiar\' period the time 



when tlie brown coal was formed — the \'ine inhabited 

 our part of the world. The\' were species ^similar to 

 those now li\'ing iu America. Fossil remains of our 

 present \^ine (IV/'/i' vinifcra) occin^ as early as in the 

 alluvial tuLas of northern France and tlie tra\'ertine of 

 Itah'. At that period of our earth's dexelopment the 

 vegetation ot southern Europe already bore mucli resem- 

 blance to our own, although the Elephant, Rhinoceros 

 Cave Bear and Urns had not ^'et been driven out of 

 those districts by man. Moreover grape-pips have been 

 found m the Lake Dwellings of Lake \^arese — - a proof 



