1881. ] 
CHOICE GLOXINIAS. 
1G9 
The Muscat Hamburgh was for some time a 
subject of discussion as to parentage, &c.; but 
now, when that has long since been ended, that 
Prince of Black Grapes holds its own against all 
comers; and when pitted as to flavour against any 
other grape, the Muscat Hamburgh is sure to be 
the victor. I at one time considered it about 
the easiest grape to grow with which I was ac¬ 
quainted. Grafted on the Black Hamburgh, 
it did capitally, without any trouble. Circum¬ 
stances, however, change results. At present, 
I find that it sets well, swells fine berries, makes 
even and shapely bunches, and possesses a flav¬ 
our the best—even for this sort—which I ever 
tasted, but for three years past the colour has 
not got beyond a “ clarety ” tinge. 
The Golden Champion is a grand Grape, when 
well done. A vine here, which was nearly 
killed among a number of others two years 
running—all doing well now—has borne fine 
crops of very large berries. The vine was 
cropped the same year that it was planted, and 
punished severely ; but though it has never 
been robust, the fruit has been much admired ; 
it crops freely, and seldom has any “ spot ’’ 
worthy of consideration. 
The Duchess of Buccleuch , though a small 
berry, is of exquisite flavour. This kind I once 
grafted on a West's St. Peter’s, which so changed 
its character for size of berry that it could 
scarcely be recognised. The Black Lady 
Downes was inadvertently planted at the hot 
end of a Muscat house under my charge, and 
when ripe the fruit was so rich in flavour that 
strangers would not believe it was that ex¬ 
cellent Grape at all. So much for changes of 
culture.—M. Temple. 
CHOICE GLOXINIAS. 
[Plate 550.] 
Gwy^ XCEPTING the Chiswick White, a very 
j fine pure white seedling raised at Chis- 
(gY—^ wick, and awarded a First-class Cer¬ 
tificate at Kensington in 1880, the varieties 
represented in the annexed plate of Gloxinias 
are not named varieties. They are rather 
selected as showing that the seedlings pro¬ 
duced from a good strain of flowers are equally, 
if not more useful for decorative purposes, than 
the named varieties ; the latter, however, are 
many of them exceedingly beautiful, especially 
the French spotted sorts, and should be repre¬ 
sented in all choice collections. These named 
varieties are necessarily grown from the tubers, 
and should form part of the earlier display; 
whilst seedlings sown in February, and grown 
on freely, come in as admirable successional 
plants for the later summer and the autumnal 
crops of flowers. Mr. Douglas relates that he 
had plants raided from seeds sown early in 
February, and pricked off and potted on as 
they required it, some of which were in flower, 
and all well established in 41-in. pots, by about 
the middle of August; while two of the largest 
plants measured 19 in. across the spreading 
foliage. 
Bespecting the utility of the Gloxinia for 
room decoration, Dr. Bennet, of Weybridge, 
states that for several years past his various 
sitting-rooms have been quite in a blaze 
with Gloxinias during the summer period. 
“ Indeed,” he says, “ I know not any other 
flower that blooms equally well in inhabited 
rooms in the light, but entirely away from 
sunshine ; nor do I know any flower more 
beautiful in its delicately-varied hues. When 
it is known that these very beautiful flowers 
will live in cool inhabited rooms as well as an 
Aspidistra or an India-rubber plant, and con¬ 
tinue blooming for one, two, or three months, the 
smallest buds gradually growing, expanding, and 
flowering, at a temperature from GO 0 to G 6° only, 
it will be seen what an acquisition the Gloxinia 
is to home decoration.” To obtain this result, 
they must be properly treated ; and the right 
treatment, Dr. Bennet says, is to remove them 
from the house early in October, and place 
them in a vinery used as a plant-house during 
the winter, and only heated when it is neces¬ 
sary for the protection of the plants against 
frost. “ About the first week in February the 
Vines begin to burst of themselves, and then 
a little heat is kept on uninterruptedly. The 
Gloxinias, which until that time have been 
left entirely without water, are watered, and 
at once start into growth. As soon as the 
first leaves appear, they are shaken out of the 
pots and repotted in new soil, composed of 
light loam, leaf-mould, and a little bone 
manure. They are placed on shelves about 
18 inches from the glass and regularly watered. 
In March, and in April or May, other bulbs are 
treated in the same way for successional 
flowering. The first batch are ready to take 
