THE QUINCE. 



831 



Quince stocks are very mucli used for budding and 

 grafting tlie pear, for wliicli the Angers Quince is pre- 

 ferable, being easily raised from cuttings or layers. The 

 other kinds are of less vigorous growth, and more short- 

 lived. I have not been able to find an analysis of the 

 quince. A large amount of soda and chlorine, will pro- 

 bably be the chief difference between it and those of the 

 apple and pear. 



The quince likes a deep, light, moist soil, and a cool ex- 

 posure, growing naturally on the banks of streams. It 

 will, however, succeed in a rich, deep, dry soil ; trenching 

 will afford a due supply of moisture. No tree is more 

 benefited by manuring, especially with vegetable matters. 

 Salt is a very beneficial application every winter — minis- 

 tering to the growth of the tree directly, and by keeping 

 the soil always moist. If applied occasionally during the 

 summer, in small doses, at a distance from the stem, the 

 fruit will not drop. It will bear an application annually 

 of ten bushels per acre. Plant the trees ten feet apart. 



The quince is slightly subject to the blight, like the 

 pear and apple, and is also attacked by the borer, which 

 infests the apple ; the blighted branches must be cut off 

 and burned as with the pear. The borer must be dug out 

 as directed under the head of Insects. 



In training, the best fruit is obtained from those trained 

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

 the bush form, with three or four main stems (not more), 

 so if one is destroyed, there are others left to take its 

 place. Thus trained, the bush should be pruned moder- 

 ately open, or the fruit will be inferior. If there is an 

 over-crop, the fruit must be thinned. Trees will com- 

 mence bearing in two or three years. 



Varieties. — Apple-sJiaped, or Orange. This is the com- 

 mon variety, with large roundish, or apple-shaped fruit, 



