82 



TnE OECHARD AKD PRUIT GAEDE^iT. 



CKAPTEE XIV. 



QTJIKCES AlsD BAKIKa PEAES. 



A FEW paragraphs on quinces will suffice ; but as they 

 are allied to the pear, they may as well follow after it. 

 It is most familiar to those who delight in cultiyating 

 fine fruit, from furnishing the most popular, and I think, 

 without question, generally the best stocks for our 

 choice and favourite pears. But it is also, for itself, a 

 fruit worth cultivating, if room can be spared for a tree, 

 because stewed quinces are really very delicious, much 

 finer than any stewed pears, and for cooking in different 

 ways, and for marmalade, they are good. 



The quince may be «grovvn from cuttings, layers, or 

 suckers. Choose young wood for cuttings, and plant 

 them in autumn, winter, or early spring. For layering, 

 draw down 3^oung wood at the same time. By the 

 following autumn, in either case, the young plants will 

 have rooted. Suckers may be taken from quince trees 

 on their own roots, and sorts may be propagated by 

 grafting or budding on either quince or pear stocks. 



The autumn after they are made, the young plants 

 may be planted out in rows two feet apart, and the 

 same distance from plant to plant, and suckers may be 

 planted out the same. 



As time goes on, train the young trees in any way 

 required. If for standards, train to a stem three feet 

 high or more, and then allow them to branch, with 

 tliree or four regular, uniform branches. If for dwarfs, 

 head them back near the ground, and train them for 

 espaliers or dwarf standards. 



When they have formed good heads, plant them out 

 finally, either in the garden or orchard, or by the side 

 of water. 



To make quince stocks, put down layers at the time 



