900 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



State are mentioned and compared with others where careless culti- 

 vation makes the crop almost a failure. A heavy, moist clay loam, 

 rendered friable by good cultivation, fertilizing, and drainiug, is con- 

 sidered to be the best soil for quinces, although they thrive upon 

 lighter lands, where, however, they are shorter lived. In the way of 

 fertilizers, 200 to 300 lbs. of muriate of potash per acre, applied broad- 

 cast and harrowed in, is advised, supplemented by 200 to 500 lbs. per 

 acre of phosphoric acid in bone compounds or dissolved South Carolina 

 rock. It is believed that the requisite nitrogen can be supplied by 

 tillage, green manures, and barnyard manure. The common idea that 

 salt is an indispensable quince fertilizer is believed to be erroneous. 



Clean culture is strongly urged, and illustrations are given showing 

 the difference in appearance between orchards allowed to run to sod 

 and others where the ground is kept well stirred by shallow tillage. 

 It is advised that sodded orchards be broken up by thorough harrow- 

 ing in the spring. 



Quinces are propagated by cuttings, stooUng, apple-root grafting, and 

 budding on quince stocks. Both of the latter methods are recommended, 

 though budding seems to be preferred, the stock being the Angers quince 

 imported from Europe. It is advised that quinces be planted 15 ft. 

 apart each way to allow a sufficient growth to the trees and permit 

 spraying. The top should be started 20 in. or less above the ground 

 and the branches allowed to spread rapidly. Each winter it is recom- 

 mended to shorten in the annual growth. By this means the fruit is 

 thinned, for the terminal blooms are removed and the crop is borne on 

 the side spurs, being also less liable to injury from winds. 



Quince trees begin to bear when 5 or 6 years old and reach their full 

 productiveness when 9 or 10 years planted. An average crop is 1 bu. 

 of good fruit to a tree, but this yield may be even doubled occasionally. 

 Care in picking and packing the crop is urged to avoid bruising and to 

 secure a better appearance of the product. 



The 4 leading varieties are Orange, Champion, Eea, and Meech, of 

 •which Orange is the most widely known and grown, although Champion 

 has proved the most productive. Illustrated descriptions are given of 

 these varieties. The Chinese or Hong Kong quince {Pyrus cathayensis) 

 is mentioned, the fruit being large, often exceeding 2 lbs. 



Descriptive notes and treatment are given for leaf blight and spot 

 {Entomosporium maculatum), rust {Boestelia aurantiaca), pear blight or 

 fire blight, borer, codling moth, and quince curculio. For the first 2 

 diseases spraying with Bordeaux mixture is recommended, and experi- 

 ments are cited showing its beneficial result. Pear blight is regarded as 

 the most serious disease, and can only be treated by cutting off and 

 burning all affected limbs. Digging out the borers, spraying for the 

 codling moth with Paris green, and jarring the curculios on to sheets 

 is advised. 



