HOW TO GROW AND MARKET FRUIT 



ing insects), and the Curculios, Borers, Shot-Hole Borer, Slug 

 and Caterpillars (chewing insects) all attack plums. All of these 

 are the same as these enemies on cherry or peach trees. 



QUINCE 



In this country there are grown far too few quinces, even 

 for home use. Their flavor alone would make a market for two 

 or three dollars* worth with every family in the land, were the 

 quinces to be had. This amount should buy from fifty to 

 seventy-five quinces. It is easy to pack and transport the fruit 

 in perfect condition. Ordinary apple hampers, boxes, and bar- 

 rels, or peach and grape baskets, are the packages in which to 

 market them. Quinces are high-priced fruit, and good speci- 

 mens are worth taking the best care of. Use wrappers for the 

 individual fruits, and line the package with either plain paper 

 or the corrugated caps. They should be packed without too 

 much pressure, yet must not be loose. They should be picked 

 while still a little green, even for home use, and ripened in a 

 dark room. 



Quince trees will grow in any soil, but succeed best in heavy 

 clay loam. They like plenty of moisture. The average hillside 

 or top is too dry for the best results, but a soggy place will not 

 do. The higher they are planted, however, the less trouble 

 there will be from fungi. Underdrain a good damp soil and it 

 will grow fine quinces trees and fruit. Thorough tillage is 

 almost necessary, yet a very heavy straw or hay mulch may do 

 good work. The roots run close to the surface, so do not cul- 

 tivate deeply. 



Pruning must be done regularly and by a system. Head 

 back the new growth and thin well each spring; then, if possible, 

 cut the tips back again in June or July. Quinces are real trees, 

 not shrubs, if treated right. The trees should have short trunks 

 and a round, shapely, well-branched head. Start with a straight 

 stem from eighteen inches to two feet high, and grow your 

 trees as they should be grown. Keep all suckers cut off from 

 the trunk. Remember that the fruit is borne on shoots of the 

 same year's growth, which grow from wood at least two years old, 

 and prune accordingly. 



It is best to select at least two varieties when you plant, 

 on account of cross-fertilizing of blossoms. If you plant only 

 two trees, get different kinds. In an orchard you could use three 

 or four varieties to advantage. Orange, Champion, Meech, 

 Bourgeat and Mammoth all are good. For home use the first 

 three are to be preferred, but all are valuable commercially. 



It is a mistake to suppose that quince trees are attacked by 

 so many enemies that they cannot be grown in the East. There 

 are many enemies, but not so many as attack the peach, nor 

 are they so difficult to control. Quince foliage is tougher and 

 will stand stronger sprays than peach. Black Rot is a fungus 

 which attacks quinces at the blossom, and, when they are 

 about half grown, fruits rot, shrivel, and hang on for months. 

 Blights, Rust, Scab, and other fungi, also attack Quince. 



no 



