300 



Quinces. 



The soil for the quince should be deep and rich, such as will raise 

 good corn and potatoes, and should be kept well cultivated. An 

 application of good manure should be made every year or two, and 

 a thin sprinkling of salt over the surface in spring has often been 

 found beneficial. 



Directions for pruning young quince-trees will be found on 

 page 95. 



The total neglect of the cultivation of the quince by many who 

 have planted out the trees, has resulted in their dwarfish and 

 stunted growth and entire unproductiveness. To renovate such 

 trees, cut or saw out the thick profusion of suckers which surround 

 the stem (Fig. 340), deepen the soil with the spade as much as the 

 roots will admit, and apply a large barrow-load of compost to each 

 tree, made by a thorough intermixture some weeks previously, of 

 stable manure and black muck, or other compost, and then spread a 



thin coating of salt upon the surface. This should be done in the 

 spring of the year. The pruning may be such as to remove the 

 suckers, and reduce the number of stems to three or four, or the 

 tree may be trimmed to one clean stem, as shown in Fig. 341. The 

 fruit will be greatly improved by the operation. 



In planting quince orchards, the distance asunder may be about 

 ten or twelve feet, which will be found near enough for full-grown 

 trees, on a deep, rich, and well treated soil. If the ground is pre- 

 viously subsoiled, and well manured by trench-ploughing, the young 

 trees will come into bearing in about three years, and continue pro- 

 ductive, if well managed, for forty years or more. 



VARIETIES. 



ORANGE or APPLE QUINCE. Large, some sub-varieties quite large, 

 roundish, somewhat irregular, with a small and very short neck at 

 the base ; surface of a fine golden color ; flesh firm, stewing 



