76 QUINCE CULTURE. 
if there happens to be a long wet spell just at the time 
of blossoming, | have observed that the beating rain pre- 
vents the blossoms from performing their natural office 
of fructifying, and failure follows. For the pollen of 
the stamens to become perfectly matured, it is necessary 
that the blossoms have a few days of favorable weather 
after they are expanded, to enable them to fulfill their 
office. A tree may appear to have but a few blossoms, 
but with favorable weather for all to become perfected, 
so that each produces fruit, there may be an excellent 
crop. Asarule we want our trees to carry too much. 
Again, blossoms will be found to fail because of the 
severity of the preceding winter. It may destroy, the 
germs of the fruit without killing the other parts of the 
blossom. In such cases, all will appear to go right for a 
time; but, as with other things in nature, the antecedent 
cause will ultimately produce its legitimate effect, and 
the beautiful blooming proves to be only the forerunner 
of disappointed hopes. 
Still again, a tree may blossom abundantly, and the 
fruit set and grow for a while, but all at once the whole 
falls off. This may arise from the tree being too feeble 
to sustain the crop set. Like aman with too heavy a 
load for his strength, he carries it all a little way, and 
then drops it exhausted. 
Once more, it will be noticed that some varieties are 
more likely to fail after a full blossoming than others 
growing near them. ‘This is chiefly owing to the differ- 
ence of vigor and fruitfulness in different varieties. 
A study of the peculiarities of the different varieties is 
of great importance to the cultivator. It is a matter of 
interest to observe that the great number of blossoms 
provided for in the economy of nature is to secure the 
certainty of fertility. Many will dry up and disappear 
as soon as they have done their fructifying work, while 
those attached to the stems bearing the fertilized fruit 
