rg If Avratum is Queen of the lilies ther most surely Speciosum Rubrum 
is the King and we also have many varieties of these. The first to flower 
in the garden—here about, August 15—is one of our seedlings called Best 
with flowers nearly six-inches across and carrying up-to 35 to the stem. 
Flowers are very bright and. in the garden they are not as reflexed as 
ost Speciosum Magnificum types. Best ‘is the finest garden or forcing 
type we have and will be very popular when stock is built up. Very lim- 
ited at present, Closely following Best in the garden is the imported 
Speciosum “Punctatum with flowers very light: pink, spotted to as darkly 
flushed as the best. types of Speciosum Rubrum. We have a few good 
sized flowering bulbs of Speciosum. Punctatwin that we “have grown for 
one year. In the greenhouse Speciosum ‘Punctatum forces in 90 days 
at 50° Fahr.—25% less time than any of ‘the other strains of Speciosum 
we have grown and carries a much higher bud count than any other 
strain from given equal size bulbs. Speciosum Punctatum was given an 
Award of Merit at the 1948 Boston Lily Show. Speciosum Punctatum is 
followed in flowering by three lovely virus-free American- -grown Speécio- 
sum Rubrum, Red Champion, Elkton and Peterson. ‘They force earlier 
with a higher bud count than the Holland Speciosum Rubrum strain’ that 
we; have. Flowering with the Speciosum Rubrum. types are the imported 
Speciosum Melpomone or Magnificum which seems to be the finest of the 
Speciosums for bright flowers and high bud count. They start to bloom 
in: 120: days at 00° Fahr. in the greenhouse. We have very large bulbs of 
Speciosum Melpomone. Next to flower in the garden and the greenhouse 
are the Holland Strain of Speciosum Rubrum. The last of the Speciosum 
‘varieties, to flower is our Twinkle which blooms here around October 15. 
in. the garden it. grows up to 5 feet, with 35 blooms and most of these 
‘open at one time, making a real bouquet from one stem. This is either 
a hybrid between Formosanum and Speciosum or the Formosa variety 
Speciosum’ Gloriosoides. We believe this lily has huge possibilities here 
on the coast as a cut flower to ship east throughout October. Twinkle 
was: given an Award of Merit in the 1948 Boston Lily Show. There are 
only a few bulbs available. 
We will also have some extra large jumbo bulbs of Princeps x Sul- 
phurgaile later flowering Regales extending the season about three weeks 
in the garden. 
.The. Umbellatums bloom outside here for Decoration Day and many 
of them are coming in shaded tones resembling the Sunset Lily but in 
uprigh t bowl shape. Orange, yellow, red and shaded in mixture only. 
Dream Lily or Intermediate Formosanum—Our hybrid filling the nor- 
mal flowering gap between Price’s and Wilson’s Formosanum. 
