PAET lY.— THE PEAE UPOIST THE QUINCE 

 STOCK. 



OFFICE OF THE QUmCE. 



The office of the Quince, in its association with the 

 pear tree, does not seem to have been generally con- 

 sidered. It is the only one of our fruit-trees which is 

 readily propagated from layers or cuttings. Of one 

 thousand cuttings of other species of fruit-trees, 

 planted in the ordinary manner, but a very few 

 would strike root, while of the same number of the 

 Quince, but very few would fail to grow. The por- 

 tion of quince on a quince-rooted pear tree, which 

 has hitherto served as trunk, will, if covered with soil, 

 in a few days, throw out rootlets, and thenceforth per- 

 form the office of root to the tree it supports. It seems 

 therefore, incredible, that with these facts in view, 

 intelligent cultivators should have failed to provide 

 the conditions for the Quince to fulfill its office. 



By planting so deeply that the Quince is entirely 

 beneath the ground, all the objections to its use in 

 propagating the Pear are overcome. The principal 

 of these objections are : Firsts that the Pear grown on 

 the Quince is short-lived. Second^ that the trees often 

 break at the junction, from imperfect union. Thirds 

 they are always of small size. Foivrth^ that the Pear 

 ( 122 ) 



