170 



For the flowers of the rather recently introduced species H. 

 aurantiaca there is a rich orange throat, outside of which there is 

 a deHcate blending of orange and red with the red much more 

 subdued and delicate than in the H. fulva. 



For each of the other species the flower color is of an almost 

 uniform shade of some grade of either yellow or orange. 



It is to be stated that few persons have thus far contributed in 

 any noteworthy extent to the horticultural improvement of the 

 day lilies. Mr. George Yeld, of England, deserves special men- 

 tion for the production of some dozen named hybrids involving 

 the species Hemerocallis fiava, H. aurantiaca, H. Dumortierii, H. 

 Thunbergii, and //. minor. In Italy Mr. Carl Sprenger and his 

 nephew, Mr. Willy Miiller, obtained seed of Hemerocallis from 

 China and grew seedlings which were related to but different 

 from the old cultivated form of fulva. One of these, designated 

 as H. fulva var. maculata, was successfully crossed with H. cit- 

 rina by Miiller but these seedlings were apparently lost during the 

 recent war. Several of their hybrids between H. aurantiaca and 

 H. citrina, obtained at an earlier date, were distributed to the 

 trade in Europe. In a letter which the writer recently received 

 from Mr. Miiller it is stated that a head gardener at the Botanical 

 CTarden of the University in Strasbourg succeeded, about the year 

 Kjii, in obtaining a few hybrids by crossing the lemon day lily 

 (//. flava) with pollen of H. fulva. This has been verified in a 

 later letter received from Dr. Killian, of the Universite de Stras- 

 bourg. It appears certain that the form of fulva involved in this 

 cross is the one in common cultivation. If so, it is the first record 

 of this cross having been accomplished during all the years that 

 these two have been grown in luirope and America! It is pos- 

 sible to make this cross, for it has been done in the breeding work 

 at The New York Botanical Garden and at present there is a 

 total of 524 plants which have H. fulva as one parent or grand- 

 [)arent. The firm of Lenioine, well-known nurserymen and hy- 

 liridizers in France, is credited with the production of two and 

 possibly three hybrids, Lutlier Burbank is credited with two 

 others, and several //. citrina hybrids have come from Mr. Ber- 

 trand M. I-'arr. Several other hybrids have appeared in llic trade, 

 mo.stly of f)rigin unknown. 



