904 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY, 



reliable Lilies for blooming the first season. Grouped in shrubbery 

 borders among Rhododendrons or between herbaceous plants, it produces 

 a grand effect in August and September. Large clumps isolated on 

 lawns show to great advantage. As this Lily makes an abundance of 

 stem-roots, my previous remarks on this subject especially apply. The 

 variety platypliyllum is very handsome with its large flowers and bold 

 foliage. Bubro-vittatum and Witiei, although not such robust growers, 

 have flowers of remarkable beauty. Besides L. auratum, the Tiger Lily 

 (L. tigrinum) and its varieties open their blossoms in this month and are 

 fine showy border plants of easy culture. Lilium Batemanni is also very 

 striking, with handsome apricot-red flowers. 



Montbretia. — Among decorative flowers for August, the Montbretia is 

 conspicuous. Early in the month its graceful spikes of bloom attract 

 attention on account of their brilliant colouring, which ranges from gold 

 to orange and glowing vermilion. For cutting, the flower-spikes are of 

 great value, as they last long in water, mix well with most kinds of foliage, 

 and have a graceful habit. The Montbretia may be grown in any ordinary 

 soil, enriched with manure, but it prefers a sunny situation. Plant the 

 bulbs any time from November to March, covering the early plantings 

 lightly with litter. Grown in pots they form a very effective decoration 

 in the greenhouse. I can recommend the following varieties as being 

 among the best: Crocosmceflora, aurea, Bouquet, Parfait, Etoile de Feu, 

 Pluie d'Or, Talisman, and Transcendant. A newly introduced hybrid 

 between Montbretia croc mmceflor a and Crocosmia imperialis, called ' Ger- 

 mania,' is of striking beauty and has a great future before it as a deco- 

 rative garden plant and for cutting. It grows 3^ feet high, and has 

 remarkably large expanded flowers of a brilliant orange-red with a deep 

 red centre. 



Tigridia. — The Tigriclia Pavonia, or Tiger-spotted Flower, is one of 

 the gems of this month, and it is a pity that this plant is not more fre- 

 quently met with in gardens. Perhaps it is from the fact that an 

 individual bloom lasts only one day. Nevertheless, it is succeeded daily 

 by another bloom from the same stem and this succession of flowers 

 goes on for nearly two months, rendering the Tigridia decorative from 

 the latter part of July to September. The flowers are large, of quaint 

 triangular form, with a gorgeously spotted central cup, and are of great 

 beauty. The showiest variety is grandifiora rubra, an improved form of 

 the old Tigridia Pavonia ; the petals are rich scarlet, while the cup is 

 conspicuously spotted crimson on a yellow ground, producing a most 

 brilliant effect. Grandifiora alba has flowers of chaste beauty, white 

 with ruby-spotted cup. Grandifiora * Ruby Queen ' has soft ruby-rose- 

 coloured flowers, while conchiflora forms a good contrast to the others, 

 with flowers yellow spotted scarlet. The Tigridia is of easy culture ; the 

 bulbs should be planted in March and April in a well-drained, moderately 

 good soil, with sunny aspect. When the foliage turns yellow after 

 flowering, and before frost sets in, lift the bulbs, dry in a cool airy place, 

 and store them in dry earth or peat, away from frost, until the following 

 spring. In mild localities the bulbs may be left in the ground a year 

 or two, providing a light winter covering be given. 



Agapanthus. — Before leaving the month of August, I should like to 



