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This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1865 edition. Excerpt:...called virepiKov. Pliny m also speaks of two species of Hypericum, one of which is distinguished as chamcepytis, or Ground Pine, the other as coris. The description given of both, leaves it doubtful whether our modern Hypericum is intended by either. Hibiscus has been already alluded to in "Roman Husbandry"," where it is shewn that the term was applied to various plants of the Mallow tribe, and that it corresponded with the aXOala of Dioscorides. VlTIS. Some of the varieties of Vine described by ancient writers seem to exist at the present day--a fact worthy of notice with reference to the much disputed question as to the dying out of species. Thus Pliny0 notices a Greek vine in a manner which would lead us to believe it meant for the Corinth Grape or Currant of the Greek Islands. "Graecula," he says, " non inferior Amineis bonitate, praetenera acino, et uva tarn parva, ut nisi pinguissimo solo colere non prosit." Columella also mentions that this variety of Vine was cultivated in several parts of Italy as well as of Greece; and Mr. Hoggp states, that it grows abundantly in the island of Lipari, where it is called Passolina. The engraving in the Vienna edition of Dioscorides, will probably be considered as bearing more resemblance to the Currant Vine, than to the ordinary one; and Dioscorides makes mention of two varieties, one probably the common Vitis vinifera in its wild state, the other the Vitis labrusca, with a woolly leaf, the parent, as it would seem, of the Currant or Corinthian Grape. I may add that, according to Count Odartq, one variety of Vine, now called Pinceau, was known so long ago as 1394; another planted in Andalusia by the Moors still retains its characters; and that the Cornichon of Paris...