VITIS VINIFERA. Linn.
Kerm (vine), . . . ARAB. Dips, Dibs, . . . EGYPT. Draksha, BENG. &ANSE. Augur, . . . . HIND. Dakhi, Dehla, . blIENAB. Lanang, . . . Kacurior.
The common vine or grape vine is largely culti vated all over the world, from near lat. 55° N. to the equator, but in south latitudes it only extends as far south as 40°. In middle Germany it ceases from about 1000 to 1500 feet above the level of the sea. On the south side of the Alps it reaches 2000 feet ; in the Apennines and Sicily, 5000 feet ; and on the Himalaya as high as 10,000 feet above the level of the sea. Although the maximum of summer heat is as great at Moscow as in Paris, yet the vine will not ripen its fruit in the former place ; for although the greatest heat of the months of June 'and July are as high as that of Paris, the months of August and September are several degrees below. England, also, has a mean tem perature as high as many parts of the world where the vine flourishes in the greatest perfection ; but although England is warmer than these countries in the winter, it is not so warm in the months of September and October, at which time the vine is ripening its fruit. There can be little doubt of its being indigenous in the east, in the district between the 131ack and Caspian Seas. In the forests of Mingrelia and Imiretia it flourishes in all its magnificence, climbing to the tops of the highest trees, and bearing bunches of fruit of delicious flavour. In these districts no cultiva tion of the vine exists, and the inhabitants seldom harvest the a,bundance of fruit that is produced. In matiy spots in France, Germany, Portugal, and Italy, the vine is found wild, but the fruit is very generally of an inferior kind, and it may be doubted whether it is truly indigenous in any part of Europe.
From its innumerable varieties, affected by different climates' and soils, we have, besides grapes yielding the various wines of commerce, other sorts, which are dried, forming the raisins Valentia, muscatel, and sultana (without seeds, front Turkey), also currants, the dried fruit of a small-fruited variety of the grape vine (var. Corinthiaca), cultivated in the Ionian Islands, Greece, Liparis, etc.
In the Dekhan, the plants are reared from slips taken at the time of first cutting after the rains, and when ready to be removed are put about 7 or 8 feet apart. They are for the
first 12 months trained on dry sticks ; after that, a large straight branch of the pang,rab, Erythrina Indica, with a fork left at the top to support the vine, is plabed about 12 inches from* it ; if put at a greater distance it is apt to give a bend to the vine which is hurtful. The vine cannot be too straight, and the length of the prop should be about 5 feet. Tbe fruit is cultivated in the greatest perfection in all parts of the Henan, and the finest flavoured are found in the gardens in the neighbourhood of Dowlatabad. Its agreeable, sweet-acid flavour, when ripe, has always rendered it a very desirable food when fresh. Grapes are dried for raisins, and this is generally effected by cutting half through the fruit-stalk -whilst they are suspended on the tree. The different kinds of raisins in use in India, called monuka, kishmish, and bedana, are brought chiefly from Istalik. The grapes of Kashmir are not equal to-those of Kabul, possibly from the little trouble taken in rearing them. In ma,ny parts of the Panjab, the vine thrives quite as well as in Europe ; it seems to be indigenous in Hazara, and possibly also in the Salt Range. Its tendency is to grow too luxuri antly, so that it all goof to wood and leaves, and this might probably be counteracted by proper cultivation and by choosing a poor, Tacky soil, and selecting suitable varieties of vine. It is found in the Sutlej valley between Rampur and Sungnam, :it rut elevation of 7000 to 9000 feet ; but tho grape is an uncertain crop. In Kanawar, a spirit prepared from tho juice is compared to grape brandy by Hoffineister. This spirit is called by the usual Arabic term arrack, and a wino also (sheo) is made there. The circumstance that tho Hindn name is applied to this and the barley brandy of Lahoul, would seem to imply that tho art of distillation has been introduceil into these countries front below. In Afghanistan, Bellew states that a grape wino is prepared, which,is constuned by well-to-do Multatmnadans, and a raisin wino for Ilindus.—Roxb.; Wight ; Voigl ; Powell ; Siewart ; Cleyhorn ; O'Sh.; Royle, Him. Rol.; Riddell, Gardening ; Mason's Tenasserim. See Raisins.