ORCHARD AND GARDEN. 
VOL. Xin. FEBRUARY, 1891. NO. 2. 
Quinces and their Culture. 
Improvement in quinces has taken place 
all within a comparatively recent time. It 
is not so very long ago that fruit growers 
knew only the old Or- 
ange or Apple quince 
and the Pear-shaped, 
and these for a long 
time were the only sorts 
grown for fruit. An- 
^ gers quince was used 
then, as now, as a stock 
for pear-grafting. At 
length the idea of im- 
proving the quince was 
stimulated by the ap- 
pearance of American 
seedlings of promise, 
and in due time appear- 
ed Rea’s Mammoth, 
Champion, Meech’s Pro- 
lific, and others. In 
many cases supposed 
new sorts proved to be 
the old Orange quince, 
the great difference in 
the size and appearance 
of the fruit being caused 
largely by better culti- 
vation and soi'. The 
most recent introduc- 
tion is the Fuller quince 
a variety which prom- 
ises to supercede all oth- 
ers in size and beauty 
of its fruit, and in gen- 
eral adaptability. This 
quince was figured and 
described in Orchard 
and Garden for Sep- 
tember last when its his- 
tory and origin were 
given. The illustration 
there did not satisfy us 
as a typical one, though 
it well represented cer- 
tain individual speci- 
mens, so we have had 
another engraving 
made which is here 
presented and which 
may he regarded as giving the average size 
and shape of the fruit. 
Notwithstanding the strides that have 
been made forward in quince growing there 
is yet a vast deal of lamentable ignorance 
in regard to it. The popular idea seems to 
be that the quince must be planted in wet, 
low ground, and that if there should hap- 
to be a piece of swampy land on the farm, 
it is just the place for them. How often in 
the village lot do we find one or more quince 
bushes standing near the kitchen door where 
they have been planted that they might the 
more readily receive the daily dish-water 
and kitchen slops, popularly believed to be 
a congenial drench. The result is that 
they are usually deformed, stunted bushes 
with foliage and twigs blighted and mil- 
dewed, bearing a few miserable abortions 
of fruit that are disfigured and marred by 
fungous diseases. From this#uisapprehen- 
sion of the needs of the quince there arises 
the conviction that quinces are difficult to 
grow and in consequence they are not gen- 
erally an abundant crop in market and 
prices rule high. 
As a matter of fact, however, the suc- 
cessful culture of the quince is not at all 
difficult as we will endeavor, very briefly, to 
show. First, it is an error to suppose that 
the quince prefers a wet soil. The soil 
should be deep and rich, rather heavy, and 
well cultivated. During summer the ground 
around the bushes should be well mulched. 
It is a great feeder and hence heavy top- 
dressings of well rotted manure should be 
applied every fall. In spring the applica- 
tion of a quart of salt to each tree, before 
the leaves start, will prove beneficial. Strict 
attention should be paid to pruning, which 
should be done rigorously, cutting back the 
new wood every spring, so as to leave but 
four or five buds. The bush will need no 
thinning, ^as a generaFthing, unless it has 
been I heretofore neg- 
lected. In figure 114 
is represented a quince 
tree which has been left 
unpruned, and in figure 
115 the same after prun- 
ing. The fruit should 
be thinned judiciously, 
when necessary, to pre- 
vent overbearing, and 
the trees washed every 
spring with a strong 
suds of soft soap. The 
trees should be exam- 
ined before planting 
and freed from any bor- 
ers that may be in them ; 
then a bandage of tar- 
red muslin applied 
around the trunks 
reaching down to the 
roots as far as possible 
and extending about 
six inches above 
ground. Every spring 
and fall they should be 
gone over and examin- 
ed for the borer and a 
fresh application of tar 
made. If these condi- 
tions be complied with 
there should be no more 
trouble or difficulty in 
securing a crop of fair, 
fine fruit than in rais- 
ing any other such crop. 
Certain it is that no 
fruit we know of re- 
sponds so readily, 
promptly and generous- 
ly to clean, rich culture 
and proper care as the 
much abused and vile- 
ly treated quince tree. 
It is not, as so often sup- 
posed, difficult to grow 
it profitably. 
Satsuma Orange. 
We are happy to state that up to this 
date (January 10th) our Satsuma oranges, 
planted last spring, and entirely unpro- 
tected, do not seem to be injured. We 
think there is reason to believe that they 
may pass through the winter here. Our 
plants are grafted on Citrus trifoliata. 
which is of undoubted hardiness. — W. F. 
Massey, North Carolina. 
The Fuller Quince. Fig. 405. 
