488 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ Junfi 1, 1893. 
New Zealand plants require a pfreenhouse or protection in England, and 
Northern Spy Apple is too tender on the (Jrab and the English Paradise 
stock to thrive generally in Britain. There is not anything to dread 
from American blight in this country, and to advise tender stocks is 
only another way to secure the supply of the British markets with 
imported instead of home-grown Apples. Mr. Palmer, of course, does 
not see this, and it would be well if the grower in this country would 
bring to bear the latent energy and the indomitable perseverance, so 
needful at the present time, to transform depression into prosperity. The 
elements are so abundant in the soil that the magic wand of cultivation, 
guided by the needful knowledge, would not fail to seal for ever the 
te of imported hardy fruits. 
basket. The fruits are packed in the baskets in two tiers, and each tier 
or layer comprises three rows with five Quinces in each of the outside 
rows and six in the middle row. When the fruits are placed the fuzz 
[packing material] is rubbed off the top, and the basket is ready for 
market. The baskets sell on an average for 50 [28. 2d.] to 75 cents. 
[33. l^d.]. The double extra or keg grade comprises only the large and 
handsome fruits, and one of these kegs almost invariably sells for a 
higher price than a full barrel of No. 1.” 
The above is given as an idea of how careful the American grower 
is in grading, packing, and so making the most of his produce. It 
might well be applied in this country, and it would best serve the 
grower’s interests in the long run, for the farmers’ and cottagers’ 
Fig. 78.—cineraria MARITIMA VARIEGATA. (^See page 444.) 
But to return to the account given in “American Gardening” of “ ai 
^stern fruit farm ” in Western New York. The Quince seems to be ; 
ravounte crop, the Maxwells having “two snug little orchards of 30 am 
o acres in extent . . . upon a pleasant slope. Nine thousand trees ar 
now bearing m these two orchards. The 30 acre orchard is set 8 b’ 
10 feet, but this distance is too small. Twelve feet by 12 or even 12 b' 
15 IS now considered to be the ideal distance. But the orchards hav 
pven excellent most results. The larger one comprises trees from ten t 
twelve years old. It has given many good crops, a few of which hav 
cached 1800 barrels [holding 2f bushels]. The Orange Quince is th 
only variety grown for general purposes. The Quinces are sorted int 
culls- The No. 1 and cull 
1 C IV,barrels [holding 2f bushels], the X or extra grade ii 
Vpo-q * baskets, and the XX or double extra in bushe 
1 tlicse two best grades. Th 
nprfpfi et pade comprises those fruits of medium size am 
P pe, which will require just thirty-two specimens to fill i 
fruit only give the costerg the trouble of grading and pocketing the 
difference. 
At this stage of the report the writer falls amuck of the growers over 
excessive pruning, which renders “ the top so thick that fruit rot and 
other fungi are encouraged, and it often prevents the full colouring of 
the fruit ... It is said that heading-in is a necessity when trees 
persist in growing from 2 to 3 feet every season, and this may be true ; 
but it is a question if this much growth should be obtained on bearing 
trees. The very process of heading-in induces this strong growth, and it 
may be better to apply more potash and phosphoric acid and less 
nitrogen and cultivation.” Very true. “ But when the fuzzy green 
fruits are as large as a fully grown Hickory Nut they are systematically 
thinned by hand. This is the first picking, and it is quite as profitable 
in heavy bearing years as the more enjoyable harvest, which begins in 
the cool days of late September. And perhaps as much care and skill 
are necessary in the one operation as the other. The former requires 
judgment as to how many fruits to pick, and the latter requires 
