[35] Probably the northern part of the vine region of France; the Jura mountains are in the east central part.
[36] Transactions New York State Agricultural Society, 6:689. 1846.
[37] Fuller, Andrew S. Record of Horticulture: 21. 1866.
[38] There is a wild grape vine (probably Vitis aestivalis) near Daphne, Alabama, on the shores of Mobile Bay, known as the “General Jackson vine” because of General Jackson having camped under it during the war with the Seminole Indians in 1817-18, which for age and size is truly remarkable. Mr. E. Q. Norton of Daphne writes of this vine as follows: “There is little known regarding the Jackson grape vine beyond the fact that the oldest man living here when I came here—20 years ago—told me that the Indians told him when he came here as a boy—90 years ago—that the vine was at that time an old one, which had been growing longer than any of them could remember. It was 27 inches through the trunk, four feet above the ground, when I measured it ten years since, and the vines were running over the surrounding trees for many rods. The grapes were very small, quite hard and not very juicy.”
[39] The following is an account of the discovery of grapes in Vinland translated from the Icelandic manuscript by Reeves:
“When they had completed their house Leif said to his companions, ‘I propose now to divide our company into two groups, and to set about an exploration of the country; one half of our party shall remain at home at the house, while the other half shall investigate the land, and they must not go beyond a point from which they can return home the same evening, and are not to separate. Thus they did for a time; Leif himself, by turns, joined the exploring party or remained behind at the house. * * *
“It was discovered one evening that one of their party was missing, and this proved to be Tyrker the German. Leif was sorely troubled by this, for Tyrker had lived with Leif and his father for a long time, and had been very devoted to Leif, when the latter was a child. Leif severely reprimanded his companions, and prepared to go in search of him, taking twelve men with him. They had proceeded but a short distance from the house, when they were met by Tyrker, whom they received most cordially. Leif observed at once that his foster-father was in lively spirits. * * * Leif addressed him, and asked: ‘Wherefore art thou so belated, foster-father mine, and astray from the others’. In the beginning Tyrker spoke for some time in German, rolling his eyes, and grinning, and they could not understand him; but after a time he addressed them in the Northern tongue: ‘I did not go much further [than you], and yet I have something of novelty to relate. I have found vines and grapes.’ ‘Is this indeed true, foster-father?’ said Leif. ‘Of a certainty it is true’, quoth he, ‘for I was born where there is not lack of either grapes or vines.’ They slept the night through, and on the morrow Leif said to his shipmates: ‘We will now divide our labours, and each day will either gather grapes or cut vines and fell trees, so as to obtain a cargo of these for my ship.’ They acted upon this advice, and it is said, that their after-boat was filled with grapes. A cargo sufficient for the ship was cut, and when the spring came, they made their ship ready, and sailed away; and from its products Leif gave the land a name, and called it Wineland.” Finding of Wineland the Good: 66. Oxford University Press, London, 1890.
[40] Winsor, Justin. Narrative and Critical History of America, Vol. III:61.
[41] First Voyage to Virginia, Hakluyt’s Voyages, 3:301-306.
[42] Hakluyt’s Voyages, 3:311.