October  2(5,  1899. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
351 
contest  of  that  nature,  and  I  am  convinced  that  both  Societies  would 
gain  considerably  by  it. — W.  Mitchell,  Chilworth  Manor,  Romsey. 
As  a  cultivator  of  the  Vine,  and  a  competitor  in  the  champion 
■Grape  class  at  Shrewsbury,  I  have  been  interested  in  the  discussion 
between  Mr.  Molyneux  and  Mr.  Crump,  and  I  must  honestly  confess  I 
thought  (if  I  showed  Muscat  of  Alexandria  in  this  class)  I  should  bo 
-disqualified  by  showing  any  one  of  the  other  four.  The  wording  of 
the  schedule  savs  six  distinct  varieties,  and  if  the  Committee  did  come 
to  the  conclusion  that  Bowood  Muscat,  Charlesworth  Muscat,  and 
Tynningham  Muscat  were  distinct,  from  Muscat  of  Alexandria,  it  is  a 
mistake,  as  I  consider  the  four  named  Grape3  synonymous.  The  only 
•distinct  Grape  in  this  class  from  the  other  named  is  Canon  Ilall 
Muscat,  which  can  be  shown  as  a  distinct  Muscat,  along  with  any  one 
■of  the  others. 
I  am  much  interested  in  the  challenge  cup  question,  and  I  can 
see  no  reason  why  such  a  Horticultural  Society  as  Shrewsbury  should 
amalgamate  with  any  other  to  produce  a  cup.  Everyone  knows  the 
■financial  state  of  this  Society,  and  if  its  managers  think  fit,  they  can 
produce  a  cup,  and  call  it  what  they  like.  For  example,  the  clausa 
anight  run  the  “Shrewsbury  International  Challenge  Cup”  for  twelve 
-or  sixteen  bunches  of  Grapes,  to  be  competed  for  annually  at 
'Shrewsbury.  The  employer  of  the  gardener  who  wins  the  cup  to 
have  it  in  his  care  for  that  year.  Tf  the  suggestion  is  adopted,  I 
Lope  to  see  growers  Irom  Ireland  included  in  the  national  contest. — 
A.  Kirk,  Norwood ,  Alloa,  N.B. 
I  HAVE  every  sympathy  with  the  proposal,  as  I  consider  it  would 
make  gardeners  in  general  take  a  much  more  active  interest  in  Grape 
growing  if  there  were  such  a  prize  to  be  competed  for  annually.  I 
■fancy  that  when  the  Shrewsbury  Committee  first  intimated  their 
intention  of  giving  such  valuable  prizes  many  a  gardener  started  the 
season  with  the  avowed  intention  of  being  the  champion  Grape 
grower  of  1899,  and  although  only  six  entered  the  lists,  I  know  for 
a,  lact  that  many  more  had  the  competitive  fever  in  the  earlier  part  of 
the  season  ;  hence  its  value  to  Grape  growing. 
Regarding  the  proposed  competition  being  of  an  international 
■cha'acter,  nothing  could  be  fairer  than  that  the  Exhibitions  should 
be  held  alternately  in  London  and  Edinburgh.  I  would  suggest  that 
the  cup  become  the  property  of  the  person  winning  it  three  times,  not 
necessarily  in  successive  years.  This  I  consider  would  add  additional 
zest  to  the  competition,  as  witness  bow  keenly  the  Chrysanthemum 
■challenge  cups  are  competed  for.  I  also  think  that  a  certain  number 
of  varieties  of  Grapes  should  be  listed,  sav  nine  varieties,  and  out  of 
that  list  of  varieties  the  number  wanted  should  be  taken,  say  six 
varieties,  that  all  mentioned  should  have  a  value  in  points  put  upon 
them,  and  not  all  classed  as  of  one  value.  All  Grape  growers  know 
how  much  more  difficult  it  is  to  produce  a  fine  bunch  of  Alnwick 
•Seedling  than,  say,  an  Alicante  or  a  Gros  Maroc  ;  also  that  quality 
-should  get  much  more  consideration  than  it  is  the  custom  at 
present. 
I  do  not  know  what  the  difference  of  opinion  is  between  Mr. 
Molyneux  and  Mr.  Crump  regarding  'lie  Grape  class  at  Shrewsbury, 
■  but  my  reading  of  those  conditions  was  that  Bowood,  Charlesworth, 
Tynningham,  and  Canon  Hall  Muscats  were  all  synonymous  with  the 
Muscat  of  Alexandria,  as  much  so  as  Gros  Maroc  and  Cooper's  Black. — 
11.  Cairns,  Balruddery,  Dundee. 
I  think  the  Grape  cup  class  a  very  wise  suggestion,  and  as  the 
Shrewsbury  Committee  was  the  first  to  start  the  thing,  I  do  not  think 
it  ought  to  be  taken  away  altogether.  I  should  therefore  propose 
■competing  for  it  alternately  in  London,  Edinburgh,  and  Shrewsbury  ; 
also  that  the  class  be  made  clearer.  I  mean  with  regard  to  the 
Muscats.  I  should  say  only  allow  two  varieties,  say  Muscat  of 
Alexandria  and  Canon  Hall,  as  I  do  not  consider  the  others  sufficiently 
-distinct.  I  should  propose  also  a  smaller  class  for  growers  who  cannot 
compete  in  the  big  class,  say  lor  six  bunches,  three  varieties,  to  include 
one  variety  of  White  Muscat.  I  do  not  think  it  will  be  very  difficult 
to  raise  the  £100  proposed.  I  shall  be  glad  to  subscribe  my  mite. — 
A.  H.  Hall,  Collar  House,  Prestbury. 
I  AM  much  in  favour  of  the  proposal  to  have  a  national  Grape  cup, 
■also  that  the  competition  should  be  held  alternately  in  London,  Edin¬ 
burgh,  and  Dublin.  In  the  event  of  an  international  exhibition  being 
■held,  for  instance,  at  "'.Shrewsbury,  Glasgow,  or  Belfast,  I  would 
suggest  the  competition  should  take  place  there  instead  of  at  the  first 
named  cities.  I  consider  the  Crystal  Palace  Fruit  Show  late  enough 
to  exhibit  the  bulk  of  our  best  Grapes  in  first-class  condition,  and 
would  say  that  the  dates  should  not  be  earlier  than  August  20th,  and 
not  later  than  September  16th.  I  do  not  think  there  would  be  any: 
•difficulty  in  raising  £100  tor  the  cup.  However,  the  most  serious 
consideration  is  the  money  prizes,  which  should  be  of  a  substantial 
character,  so  as  to  give  an  impetus  to  Grape  growing  generally.  The 
idea  has  occurred  to  me  that  a  National  Grape  Association  might  be 
formed  for  that  purpose. — J.  W.  McHattie,  Stralhjieldsaye. 
The  proposal  to  offer  a  challenge  cup  for  Grat  es  is  a  matter  that 
should  be  taken  in  hand  by  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society.  To 
insure  a  good  competition  and  a  corresponding  amount  of  interest, 
the  trophy  should  be  of  exceptional  merit,  and  must  be  accompanied 
with  a  liberal  supply  of  cash,  the  second,  third,  and  after  prizes 
being  equally  liberal.  This  would  insure  gardeners  living  at  a 
distance  from  the  place  of  exhibition  making  an  effort  to  compete, 
the  expenses  of  exhibiting  at  such  a  competition  being  necessarily 
heavy. 
To  render  the  competition  of  more  national  interest  it  would  be 
necessary  for  the  R.II.S.  to  choose  the  centre  each  year  in  different 
parts  of  the  country,  taking  London,  Edinburgh  (and  if  sufficient 
interest  could  be  aroused  in  Ireland),  Belfast  another  year,  while 
Shrewsbury  and  other  places  might  in  turn  be  taken  if  necessary. 
The  societies  to  whom  the  cup  was  relegated  might  probably  be 
induced  to  offer  the  cash  prizes,  which  would  relieve  the  R.II.S.  from 
any  additional  expense,  they,  of  course,  in  turn,  finding  the  “  neces¬ 
saries  ”  for  their  London  competition.  Should  the  competition  for 
such  an  important  event  arouse  a  wide-spread  interest,  the  societies 
would  ceriainly  reap  the  benefit  in  gate  receipts,  and  ought  in  turn 
to  offer  liberally. 
The  trophy  should  also  be  of  sufficient  size  to  be  of  decorative  use, 
and  also  to  admit  of  the  gardeners’  and  employers’  names  being 
engraved  on  it  each  year.  I  wou'd  also  suggest  that  the  Societies  in 
London,  Belfast,  and  Edinburgh  might  coufer  as  to  the  best  means  to 
procure  subscriptions  towards  the.  trophy,  and  what  support  the 
proposal  would  have. — A.  Maxim,  Heckfield  Place ,  Winchfield. 
I  am  in  hearty  sympathy  with  the  proposal  to  establish  a  national 
cup  for  improving  the  cultivation  of  the  Vine.  I  should  vote  for 
Shrewsbury  and  Edinburgh  to  be  the  towns  for  the  contest  to  take 
place  in  alternate  years.  I  think  these  Societies  deserve  the 
honour,  as  I  am  of  opinion  that  they  have  done  more  for  the 
advancement  of  horticulture  than  any  of  the  London  Societies.  I 
consider  the  classing  of  the  Grapes  at  the  last  Shrewsbury  Show  to 
be  quite  proper,  such  as  making  no  distinction  between  Cooper’s 
Black  and  Gros  Maroc,  also  confining  Muscat  of  Alexandria  to  one 
variety. — David  Murray,  Culzean  Castle,  Maybole,  N.B. 
I  QUITE  agree  with  the  opinions  expressed  by  your  correspondents 
that  a  challenge  cup  for  Grapes  would  add  immensely  to  the  interest 
taken  in  Grape  cultivation,  and  also  to  the  popularity  of  the  Societies 
in  the  two  capitals.  I  shall  be  pleased  to  do  what  1  possibly  can  to 
further  the  project,  and  trust  that  it  may  be  successlully  carried  out. 
— James  Day,  Calloway  House,  Oarliestown,  N.B. 
[We  have  still  several  other  excellent  communications  on  this 
subject.]  _ _ 
SAINTPAULIA  IONANTHA. 
Amongst  the  more  recently  introduced  stove  plants,  the  above 
named  one  may  fairly  claim  to  be  one  ol  the  most  useful  and  interesting. 
Moreover,  it  is  not  at  all  difficult  to  grow  and  flower  to  perfection.  It 
might  fitly  be  described  as  an  alpine  stove  plant,  so  modest  is  its 
general  appearance  and  blosRom.  It  is  a  native  of  the  Usambara 
Mountains,  in  East  Africa. 
When  fully  grown  the  plants  are  not  more  than  6  inches  in  height. 
The  foliage  is  somewhat  similar  to  a  Gloxinia,  but  much  smaller.  Its 
flower  stems  are  about  4  inches  high,  each  one  at  their  points  bearing 
a  number  of  beautiful  blue  flowers,  somewhat  similar  in  size  and  colour 
to  some  of  the  larger  single  Violets  now  grown.  Each  flower  has 
quite  a  number  of  prominent  yellow  stamens,  which  add  much  to 
its  beauty. 
We  have  several  plants  growing  in  3  and  4-inch  pots  that  have 
been  in  llower  continuously  since  last  May.  I  have  counted  as  many 
as  fifty  flowers  open  at  once  on  some  of  them.  They  are  potted  in  a 
light  sandy  compost,  such  as  is  used  for  the  general  run  of  softwooded 
plants.  Propagation  is  either  by  seed  or  the  older  leaves  of  the  plants. 
If  seed  is  used,  it  must  not  be  sown  too  deey  ly,  as  seeds  are  srpall.  V  hen 
leaves  are  made  use  of  they  should  be  broken  oft  at  their  bases  and 
laid  on  the  surface  of  a  pan  of  light  soil,  and  pegged  down  with  a  small 
wooden  peg.  In  a  few  weeks’  time  the  larger  veins  on  the  under  sides 
will  have  callursed  and  formed  rootlets,  from  which  a  tiny  plantlet  will 
spring  up.  Gloxinias  were  propagated  in  this  way  some  years  ago, 
;  before  such  good  strains  of  seed  were  obtainable  as  we  now  have.  - 
i  II.  J.  C.,  Grimston. 
