THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



climate it will be found that a mulch in 

 autumn will often be serviceable as a 

 protection to the roots, thereby preserv- 

 ing the quince tree from injury. 



The trees should be planted about 

 fifteen feet apart each way, and the 

 ground kept clean by thorough cultiva- 

 tion with the cultivator. Ploughing 

 after the trees have become well estab- 

 lished is likely to tear and injure the 

 roots, which are fibrous and lie near 

 the surface. Liberal annual manuring 

 is as important in the quince orchard 

 as anywhere else. Besides this a dress- 

 ing of common salt applied every spring, 

 and occasionally during the growing 

 season, at the rate of a quart to each 

 tree, scattered upon the surface of the 

 ground, has been found to have a very 

 beneficial efiect. Pruning must not be 

 neglected. The trees need to be kept 

 open that the foliage may be fully ex- 

 posed to the light and air. This should 

 be regularly attended to every spring, 

 requiring then but little labor, and only 

 such an amount as that the heads shall 

 not become a mass of interlacing brush. 



For some time only two varieties 

 were usually planted, the Orange or 

 Apple-shaped Quince, and the Pear- 

 shaped. Of these the apple quince was 

 to be preferred on account of its better 

 quality and brighter color. The Portu- 

 gal Quince has been highly esteemed 

 for its fine quality and the handsome 

 color of the flesh when cooked, but it is 

 not pfofitable as a market variety on 

 account of its being a shy bearer. In 

 later times we have had brought to 

 notice Rea's Quince, which is a variety 

 of the Orange of large size and by some 



thought to be the best of all, but it has 

 not proved to be sufficiently productive 

 in our climate. This was followed by 

 the Champion Quince, which comes into 

 bearing early and is productive, but 

 ripens quite too late for our seasons. 

 We have now brought before us a var- 

 iety known as Meech's Prolific. Its 

 origin is lost in obscurity. Mr. Meech, 

 of Vineland, N. J., found it growing in 

 the grounds of one of the early settlers 

 of that place who brought it from Con- 

 necticut. After growing it with the 

 other varieties, Mr. Meech became sat- 

 isfied that it was distinct from and 

 superior to all of them. It is some- 

 what pear-shaped, but said to differ 

 from the old pear-shaped quince by 

 ripening earlier than that variety, yet 

 a little later than the Apple or Orange 

 Quince. It is also said to ripen earlier 

 than Ilea's and decidedly earlier than 

 the Champion. The particular merits 

 claimed for this variety are the vigor- 

 ous, healthy habit .of the tree, early 

 bearing, and great and uniform pro- 

 ductiveness. Young trees of two and 

 three years old shew fruit, and con- 

 tinue to bear so abundantly thereafter 

 that it is necessary to thin out the fruit 

 in order to prevent injury to the trees 

 from overbearing. Trees five years 

 planted yielding from eighty to ninety 

 well-grown quinces. The fruit is very 

 large, often weighing fiora twelve to fif- 

 teen ounces, of a beautiful golden color, 

 and possessing the peculiar agreeable 

 quince fragrance in a high degree. It is 

 claimed for it that its cooking qualities 

 are remarkably good, one lady stating 

 that it cooks as soft as a peach. 



