CROCOSMIA AUREA, AND TRITONIAS. 
129 
stamens are placed parallel to one another above the style, and the fruit 
consists of a dry capsule, with three many-seeded compartments, the 
little seeds being dry and grey. 
The crossing of these two species effected by Monsieur Lemoine, of 
Nancy, produced Monthretia crocoswAce flora, which he put into commerce 
in the year 1882. It is needless to sing its praises, for every one knows 
its orange-red flowers w^ith six segments twice as long as those of 
Monthretia Pottsii, and opening successively all along the tall spikes 
with their numerous branches. Every one knows, too, its wonderful 
vigour, the ease of i^^^s cultivation, and the rapidity with which it increases, 
so that it is by no means surprising that it is found in every garden on 
the Continent, and is absent from but few in England. 
This bigeneric hybrid bears seed naturally ; but as these produce 
plants almost identical w^ith the parent, it is not of much interest to raise 
seedlings. Very great interest may, on the other hand, be obtained by 
raising plants from seeds of ilf. crocosmiceflora artificially fertilised with 
pollen of one or other of its parents. This was done from the very first 
by M. Lemoine, and the result has proved most satisfactory, and certain 
different characteristics have been produced in these new forms which it 
has been found possible to fix, to modify, and to improve by cross- 
breeding. We must limit ourselves to a chronological list of varieties of 
Monthretia successively sent out from Nancy, at the same time remark- 
ing that several of them have since been discarded from our list as being 
inferior to our later acquisitions. 
In 1883 we sent out J/, elegans (since discarded), a dwarf plant with 
bright orange-yellow flowers. 
In 1884 came M. aurea, chrome-yellow, and M. j^iyramidalis, apricot 
(both discarded). 
In 1885 appeared M. ' Bouquet Parfait ' (discarded), large scarlet and 
yellow flowers ; M. ' Gerbe d'Or ' (discarded), golden-yellow trumpet- 
shaped flowers ; and M. ' Etoile de Feu,' with large open flowers, which is 
still one of the best of the bright-red varieties. 
These were followed in 1886 by M. ' Phare ' (discarded), like M. 
crocosmiceflora, hnt somewhat more erect ; M. ' Solfaterre ' (discarded), 
pale yellow ; and M. Pottsii cjraiidiflora, which would have been more 
appropriately named M. Pottsii discolor. 
In 1887 M. ' Drap d'Or,' with large golden-yellow flowers ; M. 
' Eldorado,' a very dwarf plant with flowers of the colour of yellow ochre ; 
M. 'Incendie ' (discarded), small bright-red flowers. 
In 1888 M. ' Rayon d'Or ' (discarded), yellow with large segments ; 
M. 'Talisman' (discarded), small orange flowers; M. ' Transcendant,' 
orange and yellow. 
In 1889 M. 'Pluie d'Or' (discarded), golden yellow; M. • Soleil 
Couchant,' one of the most beautiful of all the yellows ; M. * Tigridie ' 
(discarded), yellow-ochre colour spotted at the base. 
In 1890 M. ' Aurore,' beautiful golden-yellow flowers. 
In 1891 M. ' Etincelant,' bright red ; M. ' Feu d'Artifice,' magnificent 
spikes of orange and yellow, a beautiful plant well fitted for the centre of 
a group. 
In 1892, M. ' Auricule,' ochre colour with decided brown markings at 
K 
