PEARS, PEACHES, QUINCES, ETC. 171 



will be best, as it is the most natural and requires the 

 least attention. Quince trees may be set about 10 x 10 

 feet each way, and the heads kept in a round, compact 

 form, heading in the strong shoots that tend to outgrow 

 the limits of this space and thinning out the old wood, 

 allowing the young and vigorous wood full chance for 

 development. A vigorous growth of tree must be kept 

 up in order to produce fine, well-colored fruit. At 

 from three to five years in good soil the quince should 

 begin to bear and should yield fruit more or less every 

 year. The trees are long lived under favorable condi- 

 tions, but with the "no care" method mostly in practice 

 they live but a short time. 



Varieties. 



There are fewer varieties of the quince than of any of 

 our other large fruits, the Orange, Rea's and Champion 

 being the kinds generally grown. Of these the Orange is 

 most grown but varies much under different kinds of 

 soil and exposure. Rea's is larger than the average 

 Orange quince, comes into bearing earlier, and is more 

 highly colored. The Champion is the latest of the three 

 in ripening, and often fails to take on the brilliant color 

 which is so desirable in this fruit. 



Marketing the Quince. 



For the local trade this fruit is sold by the half peck 

 and peck, sometimes packed in neat, handled baskets. 

 For distant shipment they are put up in barrels, half 

 barrels, or in covered baskets similar to those in which 

 grapes are shipped to eastern markets; but no matter 

 what the package, when, closely packed they come out 

 badly bruised and marked and do not look attractive or 

 keep well. For the retail trade they may be taken from 

 the loose package and delivered unbruised and attrac- 

 tive, and will keep a long time. 



