16 THE BOOK OF SHRUBS 
Cypon1a or JapaNESE QuincE.—A handsome shrub, 
growing to a height ranging from five to eight feet, and 
flowering profusely during the first four months of the 
year. It is slender in growth, and is highly attractive 
whether grown in bush form along the front of the 
shrubbery or planted against a wall and the branches 
trained to its surface. For low walls it is one of the 
most useful shrubs we have. A west aspect is the most 
desirable, for owing to the early period in the year in 
which the flowers are produced there is a risk of their 
being damaged by frost when they are exposed to the 
direct rays of the sun early in the day. For the same 
reason it is an advantage to select positions in the 
shrubbery where they will-be screened from the sun in 
the morning. 
The type Cydonia japonica has bright scarlet flowers; 
and there are numerous varieties with flowers ranging 
from white to purple-crimson. Of these the most 
desirable are Cardinalis, rich scarlet; nivalis white, and 
rosea bright rose. Maule’s Quince (C. Maule) is very 
similar in general character to the Japanese quince, but 
it is dwarfer, attaining a height of four feet, has smaller 
leaves and blooms in April. The flowers are rich 
orange red and borne in great proportion, and they are 
succeeded by yellow fruits which make a delicious pre- 
serve. It is admirably adapted for the formation of 
beds on the lawn, and for low hedges, and in the 
shrubbery its proper place is in the front line, where it 
should be arranged in groups of three or four plants. 
Maule’s quince is not suitable for walls, and with 
reference to the Japanese quince it must be said that 
when the species and its varieties are trained to walls the 
lateral growths should be allowed to extend naturally to 
a distance of twelve or eighteen inches from the surface 
instead of being nailed close to it in accordance with 
the practice that so generally obtains. 
