1 6 THE BOOK OF SHRUBS 



CYDONIA OR JAPANESE QUINCE. A handsome shrub, 

 growing to a height ranging from five to eight feet, and 

 flowering profusely during the first four months of the 

 year. It is slender in growth, and is highly attractive 

 whether grown in bush form along the front of the 

 shrubbery or planted against a wall and the branches 

 trained to its surface. For low walls it is one of the 

 most useful shrubs we have. A west aspect is the most 

 desirable, for owing to the early period in the year in 

 which the flowers are produced there is a risk of their 

 being damaged by frost when they are exposed to the 

 direct rays of the sun early in the day. For the same 

 reason it is an advantage to select positions in the 

 shrubbery where they will be screened from the sun in 

 the morning. 



The type Cydonia japonica has bright scarlet flowers ; 

 and there are numerous varieties with flowers ranging 

 from white to purple-crimson. Of these the most 

 desirable are Cardinalis, rich scarlet; nivalis white, and 

 rosea bright rose. Maule's Quince (C. Maulei) is very 

 similar in general character to the Japanese quince, but 

 it is dwarfer, attaining a height of four feet, has smaller 

 leaves and blooms in April. The flowers are rich 

 orange red and borne in great proportion, and they are 

 succeeded by yellow fruits which make a delicious pre- 

 serve. It is admirably adapted for the formation of 

 beds on the lawn, and for low hedges, and in the 

 shrubbery its proper place is in the front line, where it 

 should be arranged in groups of three or four plants. 



Maule's quince is not suitable for walls, and with 

 reference to the Japanese quince it must be said that 

 when the species and its varieties are trained to walls the 

 lateral growths should be allowed to extend naturally to 

 a distance of twelve or eighteen inches from the surface 

 instead of being nailed close to it in accordance with 

 the practice that so generally obtains. 



