FLORA AND SYLVA. 



beside that of garden effect, in which 

 there is no uncertainty. We shall there- 

 fore not try to decide whether there are 

 six, seven, or more species, but briefly 

 describe those known in gardens. 



Large-flowered Orange Day Lily {H. 

 aurantiacd). — In its wild form this is little 

 known, though a garden variety of it is fast 

 becoming common. It comes nearest to H. 

 Dumortieru, but differs in its much larger 

 flowers, longer in the tube, of a deeper red, and 

 borne later in the season ; they are of a bright 

 reddish-orange, opening less widely than in 

 other species. It flowered at Kew for the first 

 time in July, 1 890, and is handsome in leaf and 

 flower, but not nearly so good as its form major, 

 the finest of the group, with bright orange 

 flowers 6 inches or more across, making it one 

 of the most beautiful of hardy plants. It came 

 from Japan as a stray seedling found in a patch 

 of Water Iris, and has proved hardy, a strong 

 grower, free in flower when well rooted, with 

 thick, almost fleshy petals. The flowers are 

 prettily shaded with reddish-brown, particu- 

 larly on the outside and when in bud, and open 

 from the end of July as clusters of eight to 

 twelve blooms upon branching stems. The 

 leaves are handsome, more than an inch wide, 

 strongly ribbed, and gracefully arched ; their 

 colour varies from grey-green to bright and 

 lustrous green. Though slow at the start, this 

 is acharmingplant when established, flowering 

 far into the autumn in fine seasons. 



Pallid Day Lily (H. citrind). — A new 

 kind from the north of China, with large flowers 

 of clear pale yellow on stout stems. It is still 

 scarce but promises to be a useful plant, larger 

 in leaf and flower than Hs.fuha and Dumor- 

 tierii — those nearest to it. So far no varieties 

 are known, but it has already been used in 

 crossing. 



Dumortier's Day Lily (H. Dumortierii). 

 — A fine dwarf plant of good colour in contrast 

 to the paler kinds, having flowers of deep 

 orange-yellow shaded with bronze, upon stout 

 stems of about 2 feet ; leaves long and taper- 

 ing. This is the first to flower in May, lasting 

 through June, good for cutting, and the buds 

 prettily shaded with reddish-brown. E.Siberia 

 and N. China to Japan. Akin to H. minor but 



of stronger growth. The name H. rutilans is 

 often used as a synonym, and sometimes for a 

 scarce variety of H. Dumortierii, in which the 

 red shading is deepest ; there is also a scarce 

 double form. Syn. H. Sieboldit. 



Yellow Day Lily {H.flava). — A useful 

 early kind of good colour and one of the best 

 hardy perennials. Its golden trumpet-shaped 

 flowers are so sweet as to earn the name "Yel- 

 low Tuberose," and cause it to be much grown 

 for market. It is best massed, the flowers being 

 so short-lived that only in bold tufts is their 

 full effect seen, but when planted in groups 

 beside ponds or streams it spreads into luxuriant 

 masses with scores of flowers open at once. It 

 makes a neat pot-plant for forcing in early 



I spring, the buds expanding in succession for 

 many days, and opening well indoors. For 

 this purpose the roots are best potted in early 

 autumn and plunged in the open till wanted, 

 being forced quite gently the first season ; the 



1 second year in pots, they will stand more heat. 

 The flower-spikes are seldom above 2 feet, 



j coming in June. Though spread through Eu- 

 rope and Asia the plant varies little ; its forms 

 are cruenta with deeper-coloured flowers from 

 the south of France ; lutea, from Switzerland 

 and N. Italy ; and major, an obscure garden 

 variety claiming greater vigour and freedom. 



Tawny Day Lily (H .fuha). — A plant 

 of strong growth, increasing so fast in some 

 soils as to give trouble, and therefore best in 

 the wild garden, thriving in shade where few 

 other plants would live, and very luxuriant in 

 moist spots with its broad strap-shaped leaves 

 3 to 4 feet long. The loose clusters of orange- 

 brown flowers are pretty but without smell. 

 Varieties. — Spread right across Europe and 

 Asia this species has many varieties, includ- 

 ing double and variegated forms of great 

 beauty. One of its commonest forms, disticha, 

 from Nepaul, differs little save in its smaller 

 flowers,but a variety of thh{disticha ji.pl.), with 

 large semi -double flowers of orange- yellow 

 shaded with crimson, is very pretty and one of 

 the brightest of the group. This plant is com- 

 mon in the Isle of Wight, often bearing a score 

 of flowers upon one stem with charming effect 

 in contrast with white flowers. H. Kwanso is 

 a Japanese form of fuha, of rapid growth and 

 double flowers, very hardy, and suited to dry 

 soils. The flowers are very full, with fleshy 



