298 A TEXT-BOOK OF BOTANY 



It is a member of the Nettle Family (Urticacece) . As in 

 flax, the fibers used occur in the superficial region of the 

 stem, outside the regular wood fibers. The most extensive 

 cultivation of hemp is in European Russia; and it is 

 somewhat cultivated in the United States, especially in 

 Illinois, Missouri, and Kentucky. The name is applied 

 also to any fiber that serves the same purposes as true 

 hemp; for example, Manila hemp, which is obtained from 

 a species of banana which is native in the Philippine Islands 

 and extensively cultivated there. 



(2) BERRIES. The conspicuous berries not mentioned 

 are the currants and the gooseberries, which are members of 

 a small family (Saxifragacece) closely related to the Rose 

 Family. These familiar plants belong to the same genus 

 (Ribes) and. are natives of the cool temperate regions. 

 Therefore, their chief cultivation is in northern Europe and 

 in the Northern United States and Canada. The ordinary 

 varieties of white and red currants are well known and 

 well cultivated in this country, but in no country has the 

 gooseberry been developed to such size and quality as in 

 England. 



(3) GRAPES. Grapes are true berries, but they are so 

 important as to deserve separate mention. The genus is 

 Vitis; and it gives name not only to the family (Vitacece), 

 but also to the culture of grapes (viticulture) . The cultiva- 

 tion of grapes for the manufacture of wine and raisins is as 

 old as the history of man. The varieties cultivated in the 

 Old World all belong to a single species (Vitis vinifera), 

 which is now extensively grown in all countries bordering 

 on the Mediterranean, and north to central Europe. This 

 same European vine was introduced on the Pacific slope by 

 the early missionaries; and now, excepting a few famous 

 regions in Europe, California leads in the production of 

 wine and raisins, having the largest vineyards in the world. 

 In the northeastern States, however, native varieties have 



