John, you chose your words carefully in saying that Enchantment was introduced in the early 1950's. I remember reading somewhere that Enchantment was raised in 1938. I've checked a few sources since reading your posting and cannot yet confirm that date. I have The Lily Year Book for 1949 where Enchantment is the "cover girl"; a quick scan of the article there did not reveal a date of raising. I don't have the 1947 edition at hand, although I do have 1948, 1950 and 1951-2. I'll keep looking. I have not checked the NALS journals yet, either. Jim McKenney jimmckenney@starpower.net Montgomery County, Maryland zone 7, where the weather this week is less than enchanting At 11:55 AM 1/23/2004 -0800, you wrote: > >Dear All; > >I must reply to Jim McKenney's posting. > >Enchantment was one of the first of the Mid-Century Hybrids, introduced >by Oregon Bulb Farms in the early 50's. Jim is correct, there were not >many Asiatic Hybrids on the market. Jan de Graaff and Earl Hornback and >John W. Heyer who worked at the OBF in the 40's. Enchantment was around >for a few years prior to introduction, it was exported to Holland in >1960, and in the next few years was produced in quantity there. We >raised many acres of Enchantment and indeed was one of our best sellers. >The blood lines are a little obscure, but certainly L.tigrinum was >involved, and passed on the bulbil production to Enchantment, and also >the distinct black tips to the buds, a trait still to be seen in >descendants of these. In the 30's de Graaff started with lilies, but it >was after WW II that the OBF got going and devoted the entire production >capacity to lilies. When I arrived there in 1961, there were a few >Narcissus grown, Mount Hood, still a great white, was one of them, but >by the end of 1962 all Narcissus production stopped. >There is a great article in the 1947 RHS Lily Year Book by Jan de Graaff >and John Heyer, The Commercial Production of Hybrid Lilies. Earl >Hormback contributed much to the development of the Mid Century Hybrids, >and was helped by Harold Coomber, and later with Eddy McRae who today is >the leading expert on Lilies. We were students at the Royal Botanic >Garden Edinburgh and were together again at the OBF. The Year Books of >the North American Lily Society have numerous articles on the >development of the Asiatic Lilies, as do the books by Jan de Graaff. >At the time of introduction, there was no doubt that Enchantment was a >giant step forward, yet I can remember that when I called on nurseries, >many had not thought of listing lilies in their catalogs and selling was >not easy. How things have changed. Thought this information would be of >interest. Cheers, John E. Bryan >_______________________________________________ >pbs mailing list >pbs@lists.ibiblio.org >http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php >