ON GROWING QUINCES. 



65 



each tree. Shorten in the branches, (one- 

 half of the last year's growth,) before you 

 set the trees, and give the roots a good 

 drenching with water before you cover them 

 entirely with soil. Press the earth mode- 

 •rately about the roots, and leave the soil 

 round the stem concave like a saucer, to 

 catch the showers. In this way, if you lose 

 one plant in a hundred, it will be an excep- 

 tion to my usual good luck. 



In orchard plantation, I would recom- 

 mend the Quince tree to be put out in rows : 

 the trees to be ten feet apart, and the rows 

 to be twelve feet apart. This will be near 

 enough in good soil, deep, and prepared as I 

 have just described. You will be able to 

 gather a good crop of fruit from such a plan- 

 tation three years after it is made ; and if 

 it is well treated, it will continue in a pro- 

 ductive state for thirty years. Such quin- 

 ces as I have grown in this Avay will always 

 command two cents a piece in the New- 

 York market, when those carelessly grown, 

 are not worth half that sum ; and I doubt 

 if there is any much more certain and profi- 

 table orchard crop than the quince, I ought 

 ^<o observe that for many years open spaces 

 in the ground occupied by the quince or- 

 chard, may be cropped with potatoes, sugar 

 beets and the like, with profit and advan- 

 tage to the trees themselves. 



The annual treatment which I give my 

 quince plantations, is, as nearly as possible, 

 as follows : I prune my trees in the autumn, 

 just after the fall of the leaf. This pruning 

 consists in cutting out as little as possible, 

 mainly old or decayed wood, or any branches 

 that make the head too thick or unsightly. 



In November, I fork in around the roots 

 of each tree, five or six shovelfuls of fresh 

 stable manure. This dissolves in part by 

 the autumn rains, and fills the soil with so- 

 luble matter ready for the first absorption 

 by the young fibres in spring. 

 Vol. II. 9 



When the spring opens, I have the ground 

 ploughed between the rows, and lightly 

 stirred beneath the trees. Directly after 

 this, I give the whole a broadcast spread of 

 salt, at the rate of ten bushels to the acre, 

 or just a light coat sufficient to half con- 

 ceal the ground under each tree. The 

 cheapest and best salt for this purpose, is 

 the refuse salt of the packing houses, to be 

 had in all large cities where meat is packed 

 for exportation. 



I observe that one of your correspondents 

 in Oneida county, has recommended salt 

 for this tree in the last number of your 

 journal. It is a good thing — I may say, the 

 best thing for this fruit. I have used it 

 now for five years, A^ery plentifully, and can 

 say with much confidence, that it is the 

 sine qua non for the Quince tree. Deep 

 green foliage, thrifty growth, and large fair 

 fruit, have, with me, invariably followed its 

 judicious application. The Quince and the 

 Plum will bear more of it than any other 

 fruit tree ; and provided there is sufficient 

 strength in the soil — that is, provided ma- 

 nure is also given — it may be used every 

 year with decided advantage. I have 

 found by experience, two things : first, that 

 necessary as manure is to the Quince tree, 

 yet common manure without salt will not 

 give the very finest quinces ; and second, 

 that a poor soil will not bear heavy doses 

 of salt without injury to vegetation. 



Every tree has its insect. The only one 

 worth notice, that infests the Quince, is a 

 little rascal, a sort of Scolytus, I believe^ 

 that kills the ends of ihe branches. The 

 egg is deposited about midsummer. The 

 next spring, the little grub which succeeds 

 it^ eats through to the pith of the branch, 

 and cuts away the sap- vessels just at the 

 time — midsummer — when the/ are most 

 wanted. Of course, the shoot above the 

 insect withers and turns black. If this is 



