THE AMERICAN BOTANIST 



89 



The day lilies, however, should not be judged by their 

 tawny-flowered congener. All the otheis are regarded as 

 being much handsomer, though in most cases the flowers are 

 somewhat smaller. One of the finest is the copper lily {H. 

 Diunorticrii) which is first to bloom in spring and has fragrant 

 flowers of a clear, deep, coppery yellow. The earliest flowers 

 appear late in May and new ones continue to appear during 

 most of June. This plant is frequently offered by dealers 

 under the names of H. nitilaiis and H. Sicboldii and the novice 

 should keep this in mind to avoid duplication in his buying. 

 The pale copper lily [H. Middeiidorfii) should not be con- 

 fused with this species. It blooms about the same time and 

 might, at first glance, be taken for a paler variety of it though 

 the whole plant, and especially the flowers, are larger. The 

 underground parts, however, may be relied on to distinguish 

 it. In the copper lily some of the roots become thickened and 

 tuberlike, but in Middcndorfii they do not. Both these plants 

 are very desirable for the garden. 



There are three species in this group that are called 

 lemon lilies. The one to which the title seems rightfully to 

 belong, Hemcrocallis Uava, is the earliest to bloom, its first 

 flowers appearing soon after those of the copper lily have 

 opened. It is the species oftenest seen in gardens and has 

 flowers of medium size and clear lemon yellow in color. The 

 late lemon lily {H. Thunbergii) would be easily mistaken for 

 it if its blossoms appeared at the same time, but they rarely 

 open until after the last of the lemon lily's bells have closed. 

 The first ones appear early in July and the plant remains in 

 bloom throughout the month. It is considerably taller than 

 the lemon lily and has the peculiar habit, for a day lily, of 

 first opening its flowers in the early evening. The flowers are 

 slightly fragrant. The lesser lemon lily (//. inmor) is seldom 

 seen in cultivation though, since it is a native of Siberia, it 

 should prove hardy in most parts of the United States. Its 



