NOVEMBER. 501 



a life-long study. It is from this fact that such contradictory 

 statements are constantly made, which mystify the new be- 

 ginner, lead him astray, and force him to rely on his own 

 experience, often dearly bought, and always with great loss 

 of time. With so much apparent information before him, 

 and without the necessary knowledge to enable him to 

 decide where the truth lies, he adopts first one course of cul- 

 ture and then another, until at last, if his zeal holds out, he 

 finds at his cost that he has been following the visionary no- 

 tions of some fancy theorist, rather than the true principles of 

 horticultural science. 



This attempt to write down the quince stock is a sample 

 of a thousand similar attempts in the literature of gardening 

 to assail some of the soundest principles of physiological sci- 

 ence, and practical art ; and it will end, as all similar attempts 

 have, in more thoroughly convincing those who resort to the 

 proper sources of information how egregiously they have been 

 deceived in following the notions of those wIk) write well 

 enough, or criticize wonderfully wise, but whose practice is 

 as barren as some of the ideas which they attempt to advance. 



It is not really, at this late day, worth while to waste time 

 and paper to attempt to controvert such statements as our 

 correspondent briefly reviews in his excellent article : at least 

 we have not thought so. Those who can be induced to be- 

 lieve them must know but very little of the experience of 

 the past, or be sadly deficient in that knowledge which every 

 one must possess to become a successful cultivator. 



We are ready to admit that the quince has been brought 

 into unjust repute by the practice of some inexperienced 

 nurserymen, who recommend many varieties which will not 

 succeed upon that stock ; but this is the exception to the rule, 

 and is acknowledged by all who fully appreciate its usefulness. 



In conchision we need only refer to an article in a previous 

 volume, (XVII., p. 385,) upon the cultivation of the pear 

 upon the quince stock, in which our views are fully expressed 

 and satisfactory evidence adduced to show its very great 

 value in the culture of this delicious fruit. Subsequent ex- 

 perience has more fully confirmed the opinions recorded in 

 the volume referred to. — Ed. 



