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, R. 
virgatuMf and R, 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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