BETSCHER’S HEMEROCALLIS 
The Perennial Supreme 
A Bit of History 
As a boy our garden contained Hemerocallis, Flava, Fulva, Kwanzo. They appealed to me 
very much. Later Aureole, Dumorteri and newer ones added to our list. We began breeding 
them in a small way, selecting the very best, and bred more and more each generation. 
While our results were bettering each generation—better plants and flowers, longer season, 
earlier and later, newer tints and shades, forms, time of blooming and other factors. Our 
newest ones, 1937, were very wonderful, very much larger, a season May 15th into October 
frosts. No plans had been made for crossing work in 1937. When our selected seedlings 
came into bloom—a wet season—we began to breed the very finest, some 30,000 blooms. 
The best work we ever did, over 3 gallons of seeds, planted in the fall—now they are coming 
up very freely—several hundred thousand of them. 
In 1937 our show was far superior to all previous years, better in every way, much larger, 
better colors. No plants showed up so well in the very dry years of 1936 37—no feeding or 
watering—from Mexico into upper Canada, we have had fine letters praising their super 
qualities. Not a single complaint as to their merits. 
Many critical gardeners bought large orders because of their merits—rivaling the very best 
lilies—and ability to withstand severe hot summers when many plants are damaged because 
of severe dryness and heat. 1937 sales were greater than all sales in previous years. 
Danite bloomers—these open in early morning and last into the following morning—some 
also bloom out of season. In the south these should give a greater yield of blooms. Ready 
in October or 1939, when we will offer some very fine new ones, one or two weeks earlier 
than Dr. Regel, much larger and longer season. 
Many of our newer ones should give a second crop of bloom in the area of Virginia, Missouri 
and the South. 
Reports of customers in the far South claim they have had good second crops, also some 
show longer season of bloom than here. As we are breeding them we may expect greater 
advances far superior in every way. 
The several very severely dry seasons recently have been a test for all garden plants. Our 
breeding work has been done in very dry years, so regardless of severe extremes we know 
they will be a delight in gardens everywhere, especially in the far South. 
Hemerocallis may be forced, same care as Narcissus. When a plant is done blooming it may 
be replaced by one coming into bloom. Thus a fine blooming season all summer. We dig 
them all summer when in bud or bloom. No complaint has ever been made about our 
Hems not doing very well. 
