Shrewshury Gardens 566 6 
is entering a new phase of development in 1954 in adding to the extent 
of the growing season by moving quite a number of selected seedlings 
for faster increase to Florida at ~ Apopka, the center of the best grow- 
ing area in the South. Though the hybridizing program will always 
be carried on in Vermont, seedlings selected for possible introduction 
will be grown both North and South, not only for faster increase but 
also that clones may be compared as to performance in two very differ- 
ent situations. Many daylilies are definitely regional performers and 
this can be reported to buyers of new introductions both fairly and 
surely. For instance, my own TOWN HIUUL, tall and bright in the 
North, is a muddy-colored runt in the South and should never be grown 
there. On the other hand TIGER EYE, prolific and dependably hand- 
some in the North, is rated as excellent in the Agricultural Extension 
Bulletin “Daylihes in Florida.” RED SPIDER, slow of increase in the 
North seems to come on faster in the South where it gives dependable 
remontant blooms over a long season. MALAGA, OXHEART and SALT 
ASH, moved South in the autumn of 1953, seem quite at home and may 
possibly thrive well enough to allow a limited distribution in the late 
summer of 1955. 
This new approach to one’s growing allows more latitude in some 
respects and less in others. As a result I shall release completely and 
in entirety, except for one single division for the originator, numbered 
clones which seem highly worthy to me, to Per eeten daylily breeders 
who may wish to intr oduce into their own breeding programs these 
rock-hardy Vermont originations. It is also my thought that there may 
well be home gardeners who would lke to have a flower individually 
their own to control and share with their friends. The purpose of this 
distribution is primarily so that excellent clones which time does not 
permit me to develop further may have good growing conditions and 
a seasoned eye on them to estimate their value both in hybridizing and 
as a possible commercial introduction. Selected with extreme care for 
my own reputation I give the assurance of' full refund of the purchase 
price if at the end of two growing seasons the buyer feels he did not 
receive full value for his money. By growing on one single division 
myself I shall be able to determine if I wish the clone returned to me 
in such a circumstance at my own expense. No part of any of these, 
of course, have gone out from my own garden. My only demand is that 
if any of these clones are introduced commercially and properly regis- 
tered by name with The Hemerocallis Society I shall be credited with 
their origination. 
I shall hope to see a number of you in Vermont this summer in 
mid-July when the named varieties and seedling beds are at their height 
but if you should be passing earlier or later there still will be some- 
thing of interest to see. I wish to emphasize again that I will not dig 
orders to be taken from Shrewsbury Gardens on the day anyone may 
drop by, for it seems to me essential procedure that plants should be 
dug and shipped the same day and so digging is done on an accumula- 
tion of orders to be completed in one day. For the best service to all 
customers equally this rule must be strictly observed. 
A good growing season to all in 1954; North, East, South and West. 
RICHARD JOHNSON 
