184 HORTICULTURE FOR SCHOOLS 



277. The quince (Plate VI) tree is shallow-rooted and can 

 live on low wet land, although it thrives much better on well- 

 drained deep soils. The fruit is used for making jams, preserves, 

 and jellies. It is much prized in preserves when mixed with other 

 fruits, owing to the distinctive flavor which it imparts. The 

 quince tree is hardy, grows with little care, and produces well. 



278. The peach. It now seems certain that the peach 

 came originally from China. From China it apparently was 

 carried to India and Persia where it came into extensive use; 

 and from here it went to Greece and Italy. After its intro- 

 duction into Greece about 2000 years ago, reference to it 

 from time to time makes it possible to trace its progress from 

 Italy into France and from France to Belgium, Holland, 

 Spain, and England. Following the discovery of America, 

 the fruit was introduced into Mexico and South America and 

 it is from the varieties that developed there that the group of 

 so-called Indian peaches has arisen. 



In the United States, the peach takes high rank commer- 

 cially, being second to the apple alone among orchard fruits. 

 The regions of the most intense winter cold are unsuitable 

 for peach culture. According to the United States Census 

 reports, over 75 per cent of the peaches produced in the United 

 States are grown south of the Ohio and Missouri rivers and in 

 California. North of the Ohio and Missouri rivers the climate 

 is too severe for their production. The climate, however, is 

 milder along the shores of the Great Lakes and peaches are 

 grown successfully to the south and east of them. In Canada 

 peaches are produced commercially in the Niagara Peninsula 

 and in other parts of Ontario lying along the northern shore 

 of Lake Erie, in western Nova Scotia, and in the lower Oka- 

 nagan Valley in British Columbia. 



The peach, when grown on its own roots, is adapted to a 

 light sandy soil, and does not thrive on heavy clay land. In 

 order to adapt it to heavy soils, it is sometimes grafted on 

 Myrobalan or other plum roots. 



