248 LUTHER BURBANK 



undertook to introduce new blood from more 

 remote resources. 



All the varieties hitherto named are descend- 

 ants of European stock, and are of the same 

 species. But the quince, like the other orchard 

 fruits, has oriental representatives races that 

 migrated eastward from their central Asiatic 

 home while the parents of the European quince 

 were migrating westward. In China and Japan 

 there are quinces that are listed as belonging to 

 three different species, named Cydonia sinensis, 

 C. japonica, and C. Maulei. All of these are 

 quite different from the European quince as to 

 growth, foliage, and fruit. 



As early as 1884 I began making hybridizing 

 tests with these oriental quinces. 



Particular interest attaches to the experiments 

 in which the first-named member of this oriental 

 trio was used. This is popularly known as the 

 Chinese cucumber quince, sometimes called 

 Pyrus cathayensis, the Cathay pear. 



In its general appearance this Chinese tree is 

 a small, upright grower, quite unlike the ordi- 

 nary quince. It is not hardy in the northern 

 United States. The leaves resemble those of the 

 apple or pear more than those of the quince, and 

 turn scarlet in the fall. The flowers for which 

 the tree is often grown vary from pink to crim- 



