THE FLOEIBT AND POJIOLOGIST. 
[ March, 
?;8 
uiucli longer continuancy of the vertical rays 
of the sun, than could he secured by adopt¬ 
ing any other position. In the case of a span- 
roofed house, being so placed that the one side 
faces south, the other must then be due north ; 
under such circumstances the vines on the 
south'^side receive all the benefit of the solar 
rays, and those on the north are consequently 
shaded—and vines never succeed in shade. 
For more northern or colder localities, a more 
acute or steeper angle of roof is recommended. 
The ground-plan shows the vines plairted at 
4 ft. ajrart on each side, and indicates the 
position of the pipes, trellis paths, &c., in a 
span-roofed vinery.—A. F. Babeon. 
GLADIOLI IN THE FLOWER 
GARDEN. 
AUDY and highly ornamental as are 
these popular flowers, they are not well 
suited for grouping in flower gardens 
when a display of blossom is required through 
the summer and in the early part of autumn, 
without having a ground-work of something 
else to nrake a show, and compensate for the 
late period at which the Gladiolus expands 
its flowers. For several years past we have' 
used here different sorts of annuals, which may 
be grown between the Gladioli, to cover the sur¬ 
face, without being in the least detrimental to 
them : only when adopting this plan, it is neces¬ 
sary to plant the Gladioli a little wider apart. 
Nycterinia selaginoitles and Nemophila insignis 
are well adapted for beds of small size. For 
those of larger size, and required to be effective 
in the distant view, we have used the branching 
Larkspur, carefully mixed in planting; these 
flower well all through the autumn, and blend 
in well with the rich colours of the Gladioli. 
Our plan is to sow early in heat, keeping each 
sort by itself, and prick them out at the bottom 
of a south wall until the time of bedding out 
arrives. Last year we had a bed planted with 
G. Bowiensis, having a ground-work of Golden 
Viola, edged with the Viola called Admiration, 
a dark purple. The contrast was very effective, 
especially at the time they were all in flo-^ver. 
We find the above-named variety and G. 
hrenchleyemis succeed better here than the 
new hybrid varieties, which commonly go off 
by disease before the time of flowering.—J. 
Webstee, Gordon Castle. 
CANKER IN THE APRICOT. 
F all fruit-trees for open-air culture in 
our English climate, the Apricot is the 
most difficult and precarious to keep 
in good health for any length of time, more 
especially in this northern climate, where it is 
so subject to canker and ultimate decay. 
Various reasons have been assigned for the 
dying-off of branches and ruin of the trees, but 
no real remedy has been found ; yet in choosing 
the situation, much might be done to mitigate 
some of the evil. Thorough drainage is always 
necessaiy, and the soil should be a good, rich, 
sandy loam; clay should always be avoided. 
If the subsoil is a tenacious clay, a concrete 
bottom should be made, to prevent the roots 
going into it, w'hich they do in a hot summer, 
in search of moisture, and this would most 
probably be the beginning of their decay. A 
\varm situation is the home for the roots of 
the Apricot. The trees do well when they are 
planted against a dwelling, more especially if 
they are planted directly at the back of the 
fire-place, where the soil and roots never get 
frozen. Apricot-trees planted in such situations 
have come under my notice that have borne 
good crops of fruit for upwards of forty years, 
without losing a branch from decay. 
When walls are heated for Apricots, advant¬ 
age should be taken that the fires should have 
some influence on the soil, as this is certainly 
the best preventive of decay in the branches. 
Great care should be taken to prevent the nails 
coming in contact with the bark, as this will 
‘cause gumming,and then death to the branch. 
Canker or gumming should be well looked after, 
