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FLOWERS OF THE BAGDAD DAYLILY 



Figure i. In the flowers of the Bagdad Daylily shades of orange, ful- 

 vous red, and madder-brown combine to give a pattern that is attractive 

 and pleasing. 



about 1890. Several species were being grown side by side in 

 gardens and a few accidental hybrids appeared. Then it occurred 

 to the now well-known horticulturist, Mr. George Yeld, who is 

 still living, that the species of daylilies might be good subjects 

 for hybridization and breeding. Most of the hybrids of that early 

 date involve the Lemon Daylily and the two semi-dwarf species 

 Hemerocallis Dumorticrii and Hcmcrocallis Middendorffii. Some 

 of these hybrids are excellent and will probably never be surpassed 

 for their own respective classes. Of these Estmere, Apricot, 

 Sovereign, Gold Dust, and Tangerine may be mentioned. These 

 clones are semi-dwarf ; they bloom in May and early June ; the 

 flower colors are yellow or orange. Soon several new species, 

 Hcmcrocallis Thunbcrgii, H . aurantiaca, and H. citrina were intro- 

 duced and these further stimulated deliberate hybridization. 



Seedlings continued to appear either as chance hybrids or as 

 the product of breeding endeavor until in 1925 — after a period of 

 about 35 years — about 100 such plants had been named as horti- 



