QUINCE STOCKS. 61 



mingling, and continuation of woody fibres, wliicli 

 takes place between a bud and its stock of the same 

 species, does not here exist. Tliere is, then, only a 

 meclianical adhesion of irregular surfaces, held to- 

 gether by a sheath of bark. 



The apparent antipathy of some varieties of the 

 Pear to the Quince is, dou])tless, owing to the resist- 

 ance made by the different texture and cellular form- 

 ation of the Quince to the returning sap. 



It is probable that, the cells of the Quince being 

 smaller tlian those of the Pear, the inspissated sap of 

 tlie latter, on its return, has become too rich in albumen 

 to pass into them ; but sufficiently accurate micros- 

 copic experiments have never been instituted to pro- 

 nounce decisively upon tlie theory. 



The tubes of all woody formations are not continuous, 

 but successive — like the joints of bamboo : the uj^per 

 ends being smaller, and fitting into spaces between 

 the lower ends of the next higher series. It is com- 

 monly known that water will not pass readily through 

 the smaller tubes, in which alcohol and ether easily 

 flow. From the same cause, probably, the richer juice 

 of the Pear will not flow in the smaller tubes of tlie 

 Quince; and the consequence is, that a swelling out of 

 the Pear at that point is formed by the repelled juice 

 which, not findhig a free passage, produces no ligneous 

 fibres or cellular tissue in the Quince. 



PROPAGATION OF TUE QUINCE BY LAYERS AND 

 CUTTINGS. 



The Quince forms a notalde exception to all other 

 fruit trees in its ability to form roots readily from any 



