THE GRAPE. 23 



The Fleshy Fruits. — The most important of these in 

 every respect is 



The Grape.. Vitis vinifera. (Nat. Ord. Vitacea.) 



With the exception of the " forbidden fruit " of the " tree 

 of knowledge/' the grape is" the first fruit mentioned in the 

 history of the world, for we find it stated in Genesis ix. that 

 " Noah began to be a husbandman, and he planted a vine- 

 yard : and he drank of the wine/ - ' This was at least four 

 thousand years from the present time; we may therefore 

 safely conclude that the vine is a native of Asia, whence it 

 has followed the tide of civilization into Europe and Africa. 

 It is now luxuriating in the genial climates of North Ame- 

 rica and Australia, where it bids fair to be of immense im- 

 portance. 



Since the time of Noah, history furnishes us with a con- 

 tinuous series of facts, proving that this fruit has been con- 

 stantly cultivated for the wine made from its juice. It has 

 furnished an endless theme for poets and for prose-writers, 

 and from its noble qualities has supplied both prophets and 

 bards with striking similes and metaphors. Even the Re- 

 deemer, who despised nought that the Father had created, 

 said, " I am the vine, and ye are its branches ; w and his own 

 blessed blood he likened to the juice of the grape. 



