THE GRAPE. 



23 



The Fleshy Peuits. — The most important of these in 

 every respect is 



The Grape. Vitis vinifera. (Nat. Ord. Vitaceoe,) 

 With the exception of the '^forbidden fruit of the tree 

 of knowledge/^ the grape is the first fruit mentioned in the 

 history of the worlds 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 AustraKa^ 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 Ee- 

 deemer_, who despised nought that the Eather had created^ 

 said^ I am the vine, and ye are its branches and his own 

 blessed blood he likened to the juice of the grape. 



