50 FRUIT-GROWER, ST. JOSEPH, MO. 



garded. Green, unripe quinces are about as unat- 

 tractive as anything that can be bought on a fruit 

 stand. In order to get the fruit in a suitable condi- 

 tion for selling, it is often necessary to pick over the 

 trees two or three times. Such extra pickings are 

 well worth while. 



When the fruit is picked, it is immediately sorted, 

 packed, and sent to storage or market. Long storage 

 is seldom profitable, since the demand for quinces 

 comes nearly all at the time of the quince harvest. 



The fruit should be very carefully graded since the 

 market for quinces is always a fastidious one. Speci- 

 mens which are at all bruised or soiled by fungus 

 should be discarded and the remaining specimens 

 graded according to size. The discarded fruit is not 

 worthless, however. It makes excellent jelly, and 

 is good even for preserving and canning. Of course, 

 it will have to be sold at a lower price than first- 

 grade fruit, but it will still bring a good revenue 

 and will not damage the sale of the first-grade stuff. 



It has been practiced in past years to ship quinces 

 in apple barrels. Half barrels have sometimes been 

 used. Neither of these packages is satisfactory. Both 

 should be discarded. Quinces should always be sold 

 in a small package. Twenty-pound baskets have 

 been used by some growers with considerable suc- 

 cess. The 16-qt. Jersey peach basket has been found 

 satisfactory, especially where long shipments were 

 not involved. In shipping any distance the bushel 

 box one* of the best packages. It has always been 

 our experience further that it pays well to wrap 

 good quinces in paper. This fruit shows very badly 

 the effect of any bruise, and the paper largely pre- 

 vents bruising. 



The quince has often proved to be one of the most 

 profitable fruits. The demand for it, however, is 



