MISCELLANEOUS PAPEBS. 387 



QUINCES VS. PEACHES. 



The fact that the quiuce is not a fruit that can be readily eaten 

 raw as it is plucked from the tree doubtless prevents it from being as 

 extensively grown as it should be. Yet as a fruit for the market it is 

 much more reliable than peaches, and in a series of years will give 

 more profit. The quince will grow on a much greater variety of soil 

 than will the peach. If it can be kept moist enough, so as not to 

 freeze deeply, sandy soil will grow quince successfully. Yet a rather 

 damp soil, on which the peach tree will be an utter failure, the quince 

 tree will thrive better than it will on dry soil. The reason for this is 

 that the quince root is very tender and runs near the surface. The 

 quince wood above ground is so soft and full of sap it can often be 

 propagated from cuttings. The root of the quince is still softer, and of 

 such spongy character that it absorbs moisture freely and cracks badly 

 when frozen. The advantage of wet ground is that it does not freeze 

 deeply, and the roots covered by soil are kept warm by the slight ris- 

 ing of sap which occurs even in very cold weather and do not freeze 

 at all. In a sandy soil the frost penetrates below the roots, and there 

 is nothing to keep them from freezing. 



Quince trees ought always to be mulched in winter. To prevent 

 girdling of the trees by mice the bodies of the trees for a foot above 

 the surface should have some kind of poisonous wash that will pre- 

 vent the mice from eating the bark, or will kill them at their first nibble. 

 Arsenic may be used, mixed with a little grease. Still better will be 

 painting the trees with a wash containing carbolic acid. The mulch 

 need not be placed nearer than one or two feet from the tree, as the 

 injury to the roots is much more likely to occur to the new growth at 

 a distance from the tree, the new wood being much more tender than 

 that several years older. 



Owing to its late blossoming period the quince buds are very rarely 

 killed by late spring frosts. It is usually as late as the first of June 

 when quince trees are in bloom, and their pink and white blossoms 

 make a sight only equalled by the golden yellow of the fruit in the fall. 

 Yet between blooming and harvesting of the fruit, it has to encounter 

 diseases that the old-time grower of quinces knew nothing of. Rot of 

 the fruit and blighting of the twigs are troubles to which many neg- 

 lected quince orchards have succumbed. But if the blighted twigs are 

 promptly cut off and burned, and if the trees are sprayed with Bor. 

 deaux mixture two or three times during the growing season, as good 



