130 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
the base ; M. 'Fantaisie,' very erect, scarlet and yellow ; ill. flore pleno, 
double flowers yellow-ochre-coloured ; M. ' Fleuve Jaune,' of the clearest 
sulphur colour. 
I break off the chronological list of varieties here because from this 
date certain new constituents have had a share in the production of 
Montbretias, for during the last few years two varieties of Crocosmias, 
previously unknown, have been introduced. 
Crocosmia aurea maculata was received from South Africa through 
the agency of Mr. James O'Brien, V.M.H. It is distinguished from the 
type by its much larger flow^ers, by the more regular and symmetrical 
arrangement of its segments, and, above all, by the existence of very 
curious brown spots situated at the base of the perianth. 
A short time afterwards Herr Max Leichtlin, of Baden-Baden, sent 
out a giant variety of Crocosmia aurea, to which we gave the name of 
G. aurea imperialis. The spikes are twice as high as those of the type, 
and the flowers and the segments twice the size. Its colour is of a mag- 
nificent and brilliant orange-yellow. Herr Max Leichtlin is said to have 
obtained it by selection from several successive generations of seedlings. 
It is certain, however, that this plant does not come true from seed. 
The crossing of these two new species with our Montbretias has given 
us several magnificent varieties, but unfortunately a large number of our 
seedlings, and by no means the least beautiful of them, were attacked by 
a disease very common in beds of G. imperialis, and, though with great 
regret, we have felt obliged to destroy a number of varieties of really 
very striking beauty in order that none but entirely disease-proof ones 
might find their way into commerce. 
Having thus explained the advent of fresh and distinct Crocosmia 
influence, we resume our chronological list. 
In 1894 the following varieties appeared : — * Arc-en-ciel,' magnificent 
orange flowers spotted with brown, still a very rare sort ; ' Eclatant ' 
(superior to ' Etincelant ' and ' Volcan '), with spikes more than 4 ft. 
high and orange-red flowers. 
In 1895, ' Lustre,' a very vigorous variety with erect flowers of yellow- 
ochre colour ; ' Turban,' yellow, freely spotted with black. 
In 1897, ' Couronne d'Or,' maroon and yellow; ' Martagon,' yellow 
and orange, with very curiously shaped segments reflected like the Mar- 
tagon Lily ; ' Oriflamme,' scarlet, with a golden centre ; ' Brilliant,' 
the most beautiful of the scarlets, superior to ' Etoile de Feu ; ' ' Congo,' 
golden yellow; ' Diademe,' yellow, spotted with maroon; 'Profusion,' 
orange and brick-red. In 1898, ' Distinction,' yellow, edged with 
orange ; ' Globe d'Or,' double golden yellow flowers ; ' Tete Couronnee,' 
very large orange- yellow flowers with a large black ring in the centre. 
In 1899, ' Aureole,' a curious plant having golden-yellow flowers with 
a large centre of pale straw colour, edged with a broad chestnut-coloured 
border; 'Messidor,' pale Naples yellow passing through straw colour, 
and almost white. 
This list does not pretend to include all the varieties of Montbretia 
that have been put into commerce, for many raisers (for example, M. 
Leonard Lille, of Lyons ; Herr Pfitzer, of Stuttgart ; M. Walker, of 
Bougival ; Messrs. Gerbeaux and Crousse, of Nancy) have raised very 
