OF THE VINE. 71 



a vine, we may reasonably expect to eat of its 

 delicious fruit — to quaff if we choose its invigora- 

 ting juice — to sit under our own vine, if not under 

 our own fig-tree, and to inhale the sweet fragrance 

 of its foliage; and then you bequeath to coming 

 generations a memento of your industry and care, 

 more appreciable than the fleeting breath of present 

 fame, or the honors of political distinction. 



On the continent of Europe, their vines have 

 been considered young at the age of one hundred 

 years, and one in England (the North Allerton) 

 lived to the age of four hundred years, and died 

 some twenty-five years since. It was one hundred 

 and fifty feet in length, and measured near the root 

 about four feet in circumference. Pliny mves an 

 acconnt of a vine six hundred years old ' 



Wine was made in England in the twelfth cen- 

 tury, but aU of the best grapes of that country now, 

 are raised under glass. I am informed there is a 

 vine in the gardens of Queen Victoria, under glass, 

 from which all the fruit is plucked every other year, 

 while in its green state, and none of it is permitted 

 to ripen ; and each succeeding alternate season, all 

 is allowed to remain and ripen, and the quantity at 

 each gathering is estimated at the enormous amount 

 of six txms ! Verily, the British Queen does not 

 seem willing to be outrivaled in any particular, in 

 her extraordinary bearing qualities. 



The United States surpass all other countries in 

 the fruitfulness of their vines in the open air. A 

 vine was raised near Baltimore, Maryland, by Mr. 



