FRUIT CULTURE. 95 



address before the North Western Association of Fruit Growers 

 in Iowa, and by other distinguished pomologists. Pears upon 

 the quince should be planted in a luxuriant deep soil, and be 

 abundantly supplied with nutriment and good cultivation. 

 They should always be planted deep enough to cover the place 

 where they were grafted, so that the point of junction may be 

 three or four inches below the surface. The pear will then 

 frequently form roots independently of the quince, and thus we 

 combine in the tree, both early fruiting from the quince, and 

 the strength and longevity of the pear stock. For instance, of 

 trees of the same variety, standing side by side in my own 

 grounds for ten years, and enjoying the same treatment, those 

 on the quince stock have attained a larger size, and have borne 

 for seven years abundant crops, while those upon the pear stock 

 have scarcely yielded a fruit. We have, also, others on the 

 quince, which twenty-five years since were obtained at the 

 nursery of Mr. Parmenter, where now is the most populous 

 part of the city of Brooklyn, N. Y., and which have borne good 

 crops for more than twenty years, and are still productive and 

 healthy. 



That the introduction and cultivation of the pear upon the 

 quince has been a great blessing, I entertain no doubt, especially 

 in gardens, and in the suburbs of large towns and cities. And 

 as to its adaptation to the orchard, I see no reason why it should 

 not succeed well, if the soil, selection and cultivation be appro- 

 priate. A gentleman in the eastern part of Massachusetts 

 planted in the years 1848 and '49 as many dwarf pear trees as 

 he could set on an acre of land at the distance of eight by 

 twelve feet, and between these rows he planted quince bushes. 

 In the fifth year from planting he gathered one hundred and 

 twenty bushels of pears and sixty bushels of quinces. Of the 

 former he sold seventy bushels at five to six dollars per bushel, 

 and he now informs me that he has lost only three per cent, of 

 the original trees, and that the remainder are in a healthful 

 condition. 



