632 GARDENING FOE THE SOUTH. 



tance from the trunk, the fruit will not drop; plant the 

 trees ten feet apart. 



The quince i.s subject to the blight, like the pear, and is 

 also attacked by the borer which infests the apple; the 

 blighted portion must be cut off and burned, as with the 

 pear. The borer must be dug out. 



The best fruit is obtained from those trained in the 

 form of a tree, but on account of the borer it is best to use 

 the bush form with three or four main stems, so if one 

 is destroyed there are others left to take its place. Thus 

 trained, the bush should be moderately pruned, or the 

 fruit will be inferior. If there is an over-crop, the fruit 

 should be thinned. The quince begins to bear when three 

 or four years transplanted. Varieties: 



Apple on Orange-Shaped. — This is the common 

 variety, with large, roundish fruit, with a short neck; 

 skin light golden yellow; flesh firm, but stews tender; 

 leaves oval; shoots slender. If the core be cut out and 

 the hole filled with sugar and baked, it forms a fine 

 dessert dish. 



Peak-Shaped. — Fruit large, pyriform, oblong, taper- 

 ing to the stalk; skin yellow; flesh of firmer texture than 

 when preserved, and not quite as good in flavor and color 

 as the former. Fruit ripens a fortnight later, and when 

 picked, keeps much longer; leaves oblong-ovate. Tree 

 of more vigorous growth, but does not bear so well. 



Portugal. — Fruit still more oblong, of lighter color, 

 milder flavored, and of better quality than the preceding 

 kinds; leaf larger and broader; shoots stouter; ripens 

 between the other two; a shy bearer, pretty good as a 

 stock for the pear. Tree larger than the other varieties. 



ANGEPtS. — A variety of the last, the strongest grower 

 of all the quinces, and much used for pear stocks. The 

 fruit is said to be larger and better than any other kind. 



