No. 4.] QIIXCE CLXTURE. 149 



The last insect is the curculio, which attacks the fruit in much tlic 

 same way that the apple is attacked, though it is by no means as 

 common an enemy. These insects may usually be controlled some- 

 what by spraying, just before the blossoms open, with Paris green or 

 arsenate of lead, as outlined for the codling moth. But the surest way 

 to get rid of them is to jar them on to a sheet spread under the tree. 

 This is a slow and tedious method, but one whicli is practiced by 

 many commercial growers. 



Picking and Marketing. 



Quince trees ought to begin to bear by the fourth or fifth year and 

 should reach full bearing by ten years. The life of the orchard of 

 course depends on the care it receives, but some of the commercial 

 orchards of New York have remained healthy and productive for 

 forty 3'Cars. 



While the quince is a firm, hard fruit, it is easily bruised, and such 

 damages show up very plainly. It ought therefore to be handled 

 with care, from the time it is picked till placed upon the market. If 

 picked directly into half-bushel baskets, and carried in these to the 

 storage house, the bruising is perhaps as little as possible. For market 

 they may be packed in almost anything, from a grape basket to a 

 barrel. Where one can reach the retailer direct, large-sized grape 

 baskets are excellent, but barrels and half barrels are frequently used. 

 Practically the same arguments apply to the different packages as 

 appl}' to apples. 



Uses. 



Like a great many other good things quinces are not used as generally 

 as thej'' ought to be. It is not the design of these notes to say all that 

 might be said on any phase of the subject, but it does seem that a few 

 suggestions as to some of the more common ways of serving quinces 

 would be in order. The writer can personally recommend the follow- 

 ing receipts. He cannot say that he has tried them all, but he has 

 tried the "results" and knows that they are good. They are taken 

 from various reliable cook books. 



As quinces are of such a strong flavor, a few of them will make a 

 large quantity of delicious marmalade, jelly and preserves by using 

 apples in combination with them. The quinces should be cooked in 

 water until soft before adding sugar, for if sugar is added when cooking 

 begins, the quinces will become hard. 



Canned Quinces. — Pare and core quinces and an equal quantity of 

 sweet apples. Use one third the weight of sugar dissolved in enough 

 water to make a syrup. Cook slowly until tender. 



Quince Marmalade. — Pare and core quinces and cook until soft in 

 enough water to cover them. Then rub through a sieve and add three 

 quarters the weight of sugar. Cook twenty minutes and put into jelly 

 glasses. 



