6o6 HEMEROCALLis. THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



HEMEROCALLIS. 



The following- are the species as they 

 are now recognised, with the principal 

 varieties : — 



H. DUMORTIERI (Uumortier's Day 

 Lily).— This valuable kind is the first 

 to flower of all the Day Lilies. Coming 

 as it does from Japan and W. Siberia, 

 it proves hardy in the open air. It does 

 not require protection during winter, and 

 we ha\e ne\er known it fail to bear freely 

 its charming and fragrant flowers. The 

 blooms are short-lived, but the reserves 

 are so numerous as to keep up the suc- 

 cession for a long time. This Day Lily 

 dwindles in vigour of the plants and size 

 of the flowers if allowed to remain too 

 long in one place. If the plants are 

 examined, the centres will be found to 

 be matted together, the stronger shoots 

 appearing on the outside. If the plant 

 is divided and replanted it will amply 

 repay the trouble by increased vigour 

 and larger flowers. It is closely allied 

 to H. minor, also known as H. graminea, 

 but it is a much stronger plant, however, 

 with leaves twice as broad, the flower- 

 stems short, and the divisions of the 

 perianth divided almost or entirely to 

 their base. The leaves are about five 

 or six to a growth, about i8 in. long and 

 half an inch broad, bright green above, 

 and pale but not glaucous on the under 

 surface ; flower-stem i to 2 ft. in height, 

 bearing a corymb of large orange-yellow 

 flowers. H. 7-iitilans and Sieboldi of 

 gardens belong to the same species. 



H. FLAVA (the Yellow Day Lily).— Few 

 plants can be grown with so little trouble 

 in the border, and give such a valuable 

 return as this one— the flowers large 

 and in such quantities, emitting such an 

 agreeable fragrance, as to earn the name 

 of yelloiu Tuberose. The length of time 

 the flowers last enhances its value as a 

 border plant. It is hardy, and, though 

 not so robust in habit as H. fulva, it 

 increases rapidly, and where the soil is 

 good might be naturalised. On banks 

 the beautiful light green curving leaves 

 hang gracefully, surmounted by bunches 

 of large yellow heads of flower in June 

 and July. Europe and N. Asia. B. 

 Thimbergi and japoitica are forms of 

 this species. 



H. FULVA (Copper-coloured Day Lily) 

 is a much larger plant than H.flava, and 

 more suitable for extensive planting in 

 semi-wild or rough parts of the garden. 

 It is varialsle under cultivation, and the 

 numerous forms now grown, many with- 

 out names, are all worthy of attention. 

 H. dislicliti is a well-known garden variety 

 of this species, notable for the fan-like 



form of its growths. The flower-stem is 

 forked near the summit, and carries two 

 or three heads of flowers, six to eight 

 blooms on each, of a brown -orange colour. 

 There is also a double-flowered variety of 

 this. H. Kivanso is a variety with varie- 

 gated or striated leaves. It is a handsome 

 plant for edgings or for the rock-garden. 

 Of this there is also a double-flowered 

 form. H. f. var. angustifolia, narrow- 

 leaved ; loigituba, crocea, natives of 

 China, flowering in July and August, 

 belong to this section. 



Yellow Day Lily (Hemerocallis flava). 



H. MiDDENDORFlANA is from Amur- 

 land, in appearance resembling H. 

 L^wiwrticri : the leaves are, however, 

 broader, the flowers about the same size, 

 closer, and paler in colour, and with a 

 distinct cylindrical tube half an inch or 

 so long. It is of easy cultivation. 



H. MINOR, also known in many gardens 

 under the highly characteristic name of 

 H. i^raiiuuca, from its Grass-like foliage, 

 was'formerly classed by the older botanists 

 as a variety of H. flava, though now con- 

 sidered distinct. It is the smallest, though 



