NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



195 



even better adapted to the quince, than to their 

 own root. 



An impression has extensively prevailed unfa- 

 vorable to the cultivation of the pear on the quince. 

 This has arisen principally from an improper se- 

 lection of kinds, or from injudicious cultivation. — 

 There are, however, three considerations which 

 are absolutely necessary to success, viz., a deep, 

 rich soil, — the planting of the quince stock entire- 

 ly below the surface of the ground, — and a sys- 

 tematic and scientific course of pruning, as the 

 tree progresses in growth. 



Objections to this species of cultivation have 

 been made from the belief that the quince was a 

 short-lived tree, and that the crop must necessari- 

 ly be small from what are termed dwarf trees. — 

 Such, however, has not been my experience. On 

 the contrary, I have pear trees on the quince root 

 which are twenty- five years old, and which pro- 

 duce annually a barrel or more of fruit each, and 

 for aught that I can see, they are destined to sur- 

 vive as long as any that I possess on the pear root. 

 These may, and probably have in some instances, 

 thrown out roots from the pear stock, but whether 

 this be so, or not, instances are not rare where 

 such trees have attained in France the age of more 

 than a hundred years, and we know of a quince 

 tree in Massachusetts which is 40 years old, and 

 which has produced 10 bushels of fruit in a season. 



The pear, when grown on the quince, should al- 

 ways be trained in the pyramidal form. These 

 may be planted in much closer order than when 

 , grown as standards. "We have known them to 

 succeed well where grown at the distance of 6 feet 

 apart in the rows and 12 feet between the rows 

 In this way Mr. Rivers, the great English cultiva- 

 tor, planted 2500 Louise Bonne de Jerseys and 

 1500 Glout Morceaus for the London market. We 

 consider 12 feet apart, each way, a liberal distance 

 This would give 302 trees to the acre, and we are 

 clearly of the opinion, that soil and selection of va 

 rieties being right, no crop whatever would be 

 more profitable. Such a plantation, with proper 

 care, would yield, in the fifth year, from 75 to 100 

 bushels of fine fruit. As to profit, this will not 

 appear as an exaggeration, when it is known that 

 Glout Morceau pears, a variety wldch succeeds 

 admirably on the quince, have sold during the win 

 ter readily at one to two dollars per dozen, in our 

 market. 



We name as varieties which succeed well on the 

 quince the following, and to which might be added 

 many more : 



Louis Bnnne de Jersey, 

 Vicar of Winkfield, 

 Duchess il'Angouleme, 

 Glout Morceau, 

 Passe Cohnar, 

 Urbaniste, 



Belle et Bonne, 

 Beurre d'Anjou, 

 Beurre Diel, 

 Easier Beurre, 

 Beurre d'Amaulis. 



There are many other topics which relate to the 

 successful cultivation of fruits, on which I should 

 be happy to address the meeting, did the time al 



lotted to the chair, or my personal health or 

 strength permit ; such, for instance, as the appro- 

 priate manures, scientific pruning, diseases of trees, 

 and the importance of raising new varieties from 

 seed which shall be perfectly adapted to our region. 



We must, however, confine our remarks to the 

 other part of our subject, — 



The Preservation of Fruits. — This is as im- 

 portant as any of the topics which have engaged 

 our attention, for although the cultivator may be 

 blessed with an abundant harvest, yet without a 

 knowledge of the art of preserving his crop for fu- 

 ture use, much of his labor would be unavailing. 

 For the want of proper care in gathering and keep- 

 ing our crops of fruit, it is estimated that one-third 

 is annually lost, or materially injured in value. 



Few persons are aware of the great care which 

 is requisite in the gathering of fruits, and unless 

 this part is well done, and done at the proper time, 

 all future efforts for its preservation will be unsuc- 

 cessful. 



As a general rule, with regard to apples and 

 pears, they should be gathered a few days before 

 maturity. By this means, even summer varieties 

 may be preserved for weeks, if stored in a proper- 

 ly constructed room. The flavor is also improved, 

 and they may be kept for a much longer time than 

 when left to ripen on the 'tree. They should nev- 

 er be permitted to remain after the tree commen- 

 ces to drop its foliage, because the flavor will be 

 impaired, after vegetation has ceased to perform 

 its office. 



Apples and pears should be picked by the hand, 

 and in a clear, dry day, for, whenever an injury 

 takes place by bruising, although it be but an in- 

 dentation by the thumb, there decay surely and 

 soonest ensues. 



So important is the process of gathering deemed 

 by one of the largest exporters of apples to Eu- 

 rope, that he never allows a specimen to be packed 

 which has an imperfection. Nor does the care 

 cease here. The barrels are either carried on the 

 shoulder, or on hand barrows to the vessel, by 

 which they are to be shipped. They consequent- 

 ly arrive in sound condition and command from 

 $6 to $9 per barrel in Liverpool. The necessity 

 of this system has been fully tested by the fact, 

 that apples which had been pressed by the thumb 

 as an experiment, were found to be in a partial 

 state of decay, and would bring only one-third, or 

 half price, of sound ones. 



For the long keeping of fruits, a properly con- 

 structed room is an indispensable condition. 

 Some fruits, particularly winter apples, may be 

 kept for months with ordinary care. This our 

 farmers understand pretty well, by keeping them 

 in cool, dry cellars ; but the preservation of the 

 more tender varieties, and especially the pear, is 

 attended with greater difficulty. 



The principal prerequisite is a room where per- 



