174 Notes on Six New Varieties of Vine. 



nied the existence of more than four species of grapes in Dukhun, 

 and insisted that the others were mere varieties originating in pecu- 

 liarities of soil and cultivation. He asserted that the Bedana was 

 only the imperfect fruiting of the Sahibee ; but as he asserted at 

 the same time that the round black Portugal Grapes in Sir Miguel 

 De Souza's garden at Bombay, and in some gardens at Poona was 

 only the imperfect fruiting of the- Hubshee ; I did not place much 

 confidence in his opinion. He said however, very truly, that the 

 gardeners at Poona and elsewhere, to enhance the value of their 

 grapes, take the advantage of any accidental changes in the ordi- 

 nary fruiting, to give a new name to the grape offered for sale. 



There are extant in the Sanscrit language ancient and celebrated 

 works which combine the character of a Vocabulary, a Dispen- 

 satory, and artizan's Nomenclature ; these are called Neeguntoos. 

 I possess a copy of the oldest and most valuable of these the Raj 

 Neeguntoo, also of four others. My object in noticing them is to 

 state that three species of grapes are mentioned in the Raj Nee- 

 guntoo. In the Keh Deva Neeguntoo only one species is mentioned, 

 but numerous names are given to this one species. The Bhao 

 Prukash Neeguntoo speaks of the wild grape, and calls it 

 qepFf3T?Cl%i'l Purwutjuh Draxsha or mountain grape. A belief 

 obtains amongst some intelligent natives of Dukhun that the Vine 

 exists in a wild state in the western Ghauts, but this is very pro- 

 blematical. The Sanscrit works previously noticed give the grape 

 the following properties : " The juices are acid and sweet ; the 

 unripe fruit is heating, bilious and carminative. When ripe, cool, 

 anti-bilious, phlegmatic, slightly astringent, strengthening, diuretic, 

 useful in diseases of the skin, in fever, asthma, heat in the stomach, 

 and in removing the effects of inebriety." 



The above notices of the Vine in ancient Sanscrit works bear 

 ample testimony to the remote period at which it was known in 

 India. 



W. H Sykes, 



