294 THE FLORIST. 



falcata becomes common enough to plant extensively, a bed of it, filled 

 in with Gladioluses, would form one of the most beautiful objects possible 

 to imagine, treating the Arundinaria as the subordinate plant. All the 

 sections — that is, the hybrids from gandavensis, ramosus, and cardinalis 

 — are well adapted for planting among American plants, or among any 

 low growing shrubs, where the blooms can rise above the mass of 

 foliage. In these situations the ground should be well loosened, and a 

 little decayed leaf-soil and sand added on heavy soils. The effective 

 show Gladioli make during autumn in any of these situations, is 

 such that, when once seen, they will become, as they deserve to be, 

 universal favourites, and we cannot too strongly recommend them. 



ECONOMICAL CULTURE OF FRUIT TREES. 



(Continued from page 200.) 



At the conclusion of our former article, we stated that two shoots from 

 each tree should be tied out to stakes in the direction the rows are to 

 run, and as wide as three or four feet apart ; it ought to have been, 

 tie>o shoots from each side of the tree. It the tree at planting has more 

 than four good branches the rest may be cut away, and the trained 

 shoots should be cut back one-third of their length ; this will induce 

 the trees to break vigorously the following spring, and from the wood 

 thus produced eight, ten, or twelve of the best placed shoots will have 

 to be selected, during the*summer, for forming the skeleton of the future 

 tree, cutting away the rest. At the end of the first season after 

 planting, the trees will have four primary branches, trained two or three 

 feet from the ground, in the direction of the row, and slightly elevated 

 towards the extremities ; and each branch furnished with two or three 

 upright shoots to form the tree. As the habit of the Apple varies con- 

 siderably — some growing upright, others horizontally, and a few pen- 

 dulous — this will have to be taken into account ; and a few stakes, 

 and some training, will be required with a few kinds before the 

 proper form has been gained. It must, however, be borne in mind, 

 that I by no means intend to introduce a system of training to effect my 

 object beyond that of a very elementary character. I simply recom- 

 mend that the trees should form a continuous kind of Apple hedge (if I 

 may so term it), each tree filling up a space of from 7 to 10 feet in 

 length, and 6 or 7 feet in width ; the height of the rows should .be kept 

 at from 12 to 15 feet, according to the variety. Anyone at all 

 acquainted with the habit of the Apple will soon get them in this form 

 by attention in selecting the wood to remain permanently, and summer 

 pruning. More care will be required with those of weeping habit ; but 

 even with these a small amount of training will suffice to form the out- 

 line of the tree, when short cutting-in will effect the rest. 



If the orchard is extensive it will be well to keep the strong-growing 

 kinds by themselves, allowing them a larger space each way than need 

 be given to the weaker growing kinds, which, again, should be planted 

 towards the middle of the ground for additional shelter. When the 



