VARIOUS SPECIES OF FRUITS 179 



a colander to remove inedible parts and the strained stuff mixed with 

 an equal quantity of Apple sauce. It is too strong to use alone. 



Few fruits grown in America have been so badly treated. It 

 is generally pushed off to a fence corner or a back-yard and forgotten 

 until someone goes out and discovers that it has borne a few flea- 

 bitten fruits, after the gathering of which it sinks into obscurity again 

 for another year. From personal experiences in renovating just such 

 neglected trees, as well as from having grown trees according to 

 approved methods, I know that splendid fruits may be counted upon as 

 an annual crop. Trees properly handled often continue to bear abun- 

 dantly for forty years, surely a long enough time to make their care 

 well worth the while. 



Contrary to popular opinion, the Quince does best in a well-drained, 

 warm, not a damp, cold soil. Damp, poorly drained soil tends to 

 develop small, inferior, woody fruits. A fairly rich soil is better 

 than one very rich, because the tree is less subject to blight when it 

 grows moderately rather than rankly and the fruits are of superior 

 quality. The deeper the soil the better, because the roots will thereby 

 be encouraged to forage more deeply, the tree be more drouth-resistant 

 and less likely to be injured by cultivating tools which would cut 

 and break them if near the surface as they naturally are. Cultiva- 

 tion should always be shallow on this account. A good plan is to 

 cultivate moderately in Spring and early Summer, working the soil 

 towards the trees both to favor drainage and to protect the roots as 

 well as to keep the surface loose and open. A cover crop sown about 

 Midsummer is highly desirable, but care must be exercised to prevent 

 the soil becoming too rich in nitrogen from the excessive use of legumes, 

 such as Crimson Clover. 



Since well -grown Quince trees reach 12 or 15 feet in height,planting 

 should not be closer than 15 feet, though often 12 and even 10 are 

 recommended. As the trees are long lived for the family orchard 

 I would prefer to plant them at maximum distances and to use the inter- 

 vening spaces for small fruits until the Quince trees need all the space. 

 When planted too close the trees become spindly and tall. 



Because of its peculiar method of fruit bearing the Quince, if 

 improperly pruned, is likely to become crooked and full of useless 

 twigs. When this habit is understood the pruning is simple. The 

 fruit buds are borne singly at the tips of twigs which develop from 

 buds formed the previous season. Recause of this new twigs grow 

 in other directions, thus largely accounting for the irregular forms 

 of the branches. With this point in mind pruning should aim to keep 

 the top open and well spread out by removing superfluous interior 

 branches and by shortening the shoots where fruit is desired. Two- 



