American Vines

Abstract

IN reading Prof. Carruthers' very interesting address to the Biological Section of the British Association, I observe that he says, when speaking of the vine discovered by Dr. Schweinfurth at Abd-el-Qurna: “The leaves which have been obtained entire exactly agree in form with those cultivated at the present day, but the under-surface is clothed with white hairs, a peculiarity which Dr. Schweinfurth has not observed in any Egyptian vines of our time.” Will you allow me to remark that this is a character of several of our American vines? Both the Northern Fox and the Summer Grape (V. Labrusca and V. œstivalis) are conspicuously downy on the lower surface of the leaves—so much so that they appear white.