BETSCHER’S HEMEROCALLIS 
The Perennial Supreme 
A Bit of History 
Many years ago in our garden were Hemerocallis, Flava, Fulva, Kwanzo. As a boy they 
appealed to me—the older I became the more so. When I began the florist business, Aure¬ 
ole, Dumorteri, etc. were new and added to my list. We bred these in a small way for a 
number of generations, selecting the few best, destroying the rest. As they became better, 
breeding work was greatly increased. The while our seedlings showed better plants and 
flowers, decidedly more fine ones per thousand, newer colors and tints, forms, times of 
blooming, etc. As our seedlings evolved increasingly betterments, work with them was 
increased and broadened. 
Today we have a great mass of very fine selected new sorts—a season May 15th until frost— 
far broader range and better colors, shades and tints—better forms—freer bloomers. In the 
southland many should give more than one crop. 
1936 with its severe heat and dryness was a real test for American garden plants. Many 
plants were practically failures—heretofore considered satisfactory. We do not irrigate 
our crops. Thus, our plants have the same care and results many or most customers may 
have—under these severe conditions we can better appraise their true worth. Those who 
water their gardens should have better plants and flowers. 
The Hemerocallis do very well in all the South into upper Canada. In a few areas Hemer¬ 
ocallis, Iris and all plants proved disappointing generally. All reports proved that the Hem¬ 
erocallis were very satisfactory. The very greatly increased demand for them last fall with 
the increased early orders this season proves that the day lily in the future will be one of 
the best sellers—“The must have.” 
With newer types such as our new “danite” type of bloomers, with blooms over 24 hours. 
These have fine decorative cut flower values for afternoon and evening uses. This will help 
create much greater demands for these finer, newer day lilies in rich lemon, orange and 
white. These will be ready to offer next October. 
Also a very early sort, a very fine white, better colored lemons, yellows, goldens, oranges, 
near reds, better fulvous. 
In our trial plot we have 1500 wonderful new ones, many of them being outstandingly fine. 
1929, a greater work at breeding than previously was done, resulting in a very fine crop of 
seeds. The severe dryness ruined many of these seedlings, the remainder came into full 
bloom in 1934, again a very dry year. 
However, when these came into bloom, many were very much larger and in much better 
colorings. Many different forms—dwarfs, taller, earlier to much later. A season from May 
15th until frozen. 
Then many were full of new bud stems, indicating that where seasons are much longer as 
Virginia, Tennessee and south, many should bloom over a very much longer season. Imag¬ 
ine such a long season of beauty, a change day on day all summer and fall, 150-175 days 
in the south much longer. Many show blooms several times, some are showing up as 
‘‘everbloomers.” 
For several seasons it was veryfhot and dry when these were blooming, so a critical appraisal 
could not be made. 1934, a very dry year the soil was very hard so it was impossible to 
cultivate them. The leaves became yellowed; however, when they began to bloom it was 
