204 Hoio to Prune the Quince Tree. 



is, " Can they be grown in ordinary garden soil ?" " Don't 

 they require a very damp locality ?" "I have always noticed 

 them," says one, ''growing in very low ground, and appre- 

 hended that they could only be raised in gardens affording 

 such situations." Bat without detaining the cultivator with 

 general remarks on the cultivation of the quince, here, — 

 merely remarking, that it will grow in any ordinary garden 

 soil, well manured, preferring . one moderately dry to one 

 always very damp, — we proceed to notice Mr. Thompson's 

 article, which follows. 



Even where the quince grows freely, and produces heavy 

 crops, it is rare that a regular, well formed tree is seen. In 

 general, they have the form of huge bushes, with as little 

 comeliness, in this respect, as an ordinary garden shrub ; 

 often with three or four stems springing directly from the 

 ground, and a head as confused, in its twisted shoots and 

 cross branches, as is often seen in any uncultivated and 

 neglected tree. A quince with a straight, clean stem, of 

 three feet in height, branching into a round, well formed 

 head, is what we, in our little experience, have not often 

 seen. 



That the quince tree may, however, be made to assume a 

 somewhat symmetrical form, is well known ; and Mr. Thomp- 

 son has plainly shown, in his article, how this is to be done. 

 If his advice is followed, we shall soon see but few of the 

 shapeless trees which disfigure too many gardens, and which, 

 in truth, should consign them, where they are too often 

 found, by the side of fences and walls, choked up with grass 

 and weeds, and bearing a half crop of small and often knurly 

 fruit : — 



Pruning the Q,uince Tree. On referring to the accom- 

 panying engraving, it may be remarked that, in the preceding 

 year, a blossom-bud, similar to those marked a a, and sessile, 

 like them, was situated at 1. In the course of last season, 

 that bud pushed a sort of shoot, furnished with leaves, and 

 bearing at its extremity a single blossom, producing one 

 fruit, which, at its maturity, had either been pulled, or had 



