CHAPTER XI 

 MISCELLANEOUS HYBRIDS 



MESSRS. ISAAC DAVIS & SONS, Ormskirk, bred a number 

 of interesting hardy and semi-hardy hybrids from several 

 of the smaller Himalayan species, such as R. ciliatum f R. 

 virgatum, and/?. Edgeworthii. R. praecox, one of the earliest 

 and best, was raised by Davis from R. dahuricum and R. 

 ciliatum ; he also raised multiflorum a delightful little, 

 early-flowering, Azalea-like plant which forces well from 

 R. virgatum and R. ciliatum. Davisii is a cross between 

 two hardy Azaleas, probably R. sinense and R. nudiflorum. 

 To the same breeder we owe the sweet-scented hybrids 

 grown in greenhouses and raised from R. Edgeworthii 

 crossed with the hybrid multiflorum. They are all easy to 

 manage in an ordinary plant-house, and are very floriferous 

 and fragrant. Five of the best of them are Countess of 

 Derby, Countess of Sefton, Duchess of Sutherland, Miss 

 Davis, and Mrs. Shawe. 



Messrs. Davis raised other hybrids from R. dahuricum. 

 In 1892 they wrote : "We have now a number of seedlings 

 of hardy hybrids raised from R. dahuricum and others, but 

 it will take us a long time to work up a stock of them." 

 These do not appear to have ever got into commerce. 



Two hardy hybrids of exceptional merit, in that they 

 are easily grown, floriferous, and yellow-flowered, are 

 Broughtonii aureum, raised in the village of Broughton, 



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