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{{SPlantbox
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+|Temp Metric=°F
+|image=Upload.png
+|image_width=240
+}}
+{{Inc|
+Quince. The fruit and tree of one of the pome class, known as Cydonia
+oblonga (or sometimes as Pyrus Cydonia).
+Few fruits play a more important part in ancient history than the
+quince, and yet there is hardly a fruit with equal or even poorer merit
+that in recent years has not received more attention. Scarcely a book
+is written on the quince and even practical mention of its merits, its
+culture, or its value is seldom made in the experiment station
+literature of America.
+
+Perhaps this is due to the fact that the fruit can hardly be considered
+in the dessert class except when cooked; and yet it is said that in
+Persia and the near East it grows to such perfection that some
+varieties are esteemed when eaten raw.
+
+The place of the quince in America seems to be a secondary one, to make
+marmalade, to preserve, to make jellies, and for flavoring purposes.
+The place of the tree among other fruits seems to be secondary also. It
+is seen most frequently in back yards and fence-corners and often in
+the lowest and dampest fruit land on the farm. In a few cases, when its
+merits are recognized, it is given drier richer ground and
+cultivatedwith judicious care. Naturally, the quince is adapted to deep
+rich warm soils. The fertility of the soil should be strongly
+emphasized, as the root, instead of penetrating deeply, spreads out
+extensively and consequently is near the surface. It is slow-growing on
+any soil but responds very quickly to good fertility. On cold damp
+soils the fruit is inclined to be woody and it may possibly be for this
+reason that the quince is not more popular for preserving purposes. On
+the richer drier soils the quality is much improved. The idea is very
+prevalent that the tree is adapted to low ground. The lower grounds,
+generally speaking, are richer, but in this respect only may the trees
+be said to be adapted to it. Excessive moisture is harmful to the
+quince as to other fruits. Cultivation must be judicious. In many
+respects it should resemble that given the dwarf pear. The roots being
+near the surface, cultivation and especially plowing must be shallow.
+It is common practice to ridge well up to the trees not only to protect
+the roots but to permit easy drainage; also the tree being very subject to fire
+blight, it does not permit of thorough cultivation with the consequent
+succulent wood-growth. Moderate cultivation in spring and early summer
+followed at once by a cover-crop or a good sod-mulch is considered good
+practice.
+
+The quince tree is small, twisted and dwarf in its habit. It seldom
+reaches a height of more than 12 or 15 feet, although some grow higher.
+The larger number are much lower. Being dwarf in its habit, the quince
+tree can be planted as close as 13 to 15 feet in an orchard, the latter
+distance being the more popular. Planted too close, it is forced
+upright, like other trees. The fruiting habit is distinct and peculiar,
+resembling no other orchard fruit, but is similar to the hickory and
+the walnut. The blossoms are produced on the current season's growth
+(Fig. 3323). A short growth starts from the terminal winter bud and on
+the end of this the flower and fruit are produced (Figs. 8324, 3325).
+There is no proper stem or peduncle to the fruit, but the quince sits
+close or sessile on a short leafy branch. The wood-growth is continued
+by an axillary bud of the previous season. This peculiar habit of
+growth gives the tree its crooked bunchy appearance. (Fig. 3326.)
+
+Pruning should receive careful attention, otherwise the quince tree
+will soon become too thick and also more or less unshapely. When set in
+orchard, the young tree may be pruned to a short whip, as shown in Fig.
+3327. The trunk is kept very short; some growers prefer to start the
+top as low as shown in Fig. 3328, but the former and probably still the
+prevailing practice is to grow a trunk like those seen in Fig. 3329.
+These longer trunks are convenient if one is to use the curculio
+catcher, as shown in Fig. 3330. The pruning consists in keeping the top
+open and well spread (Fig. 3328). To cause the top to spread and to
+keep it low and within bounds, more or less heading-in may be
+practised; but as the fruit-shoots spring from the ends of the
+branches, clipping-in of all the tree would remove practically all the
+fruit.
+
+The questions of cultivation and fertilizers are largely inter-related.
+Thorough tillage makes available a large amount of plant-food, and
+consequently less fertilizer is necessary. However, too thorough
+cultivation and consequent succulent growth increases blight. The
+question of fertilizers comes down to one of producing moderate growth
+of a hardy resistant nature. This means that in cultivated orchards,
+heavy applications of nitrates or nitrogenous manures must be withheld.
+Phosphate and potash on the other hand can be applied in quantity,
+especially on the lighter soils. The cover-crops will probably supply
+the necessary nitrogen. If growth is very slow, a light application of
+farmyard manure may be made. Lime and land-plaster can also be applied
+in quantity.
+
+The fruit is sold in eleven-quart baskets, bushels, and barrels, and
+ranges from 75 cents to $1.25 a bushel, depending on the market and the
+demand. In Ontario the demand is very limited and there are scarcely
+any orchards on a commercial basis. In the eastern states and
+especially New York State, there are some orchards of considerable size
+(Fig. 3329). The fruit, though apparently hard and long-keeping, is
+comparatively easily bruised or marked and must be handled with care.
+
+The trees begin to bear a few fruits the second and third years after
+planting but can not generally be said to bear a profitable crop until
+ten to twelve years of age. The fruit is very subject to limb-rub and
+disease, and must be carefully grown to look well. The ordinary
+practice is to spray the tree with dormant-strength lime-sulfur at the
+same time that the apples and peaches are sprayed and then again just
+after the fruit is nicely set with bordeaux mixture, to each forty
+gallons of which has been added three pounds of lead arsenate.
+Summer-strength lime-sulfur with the above amount of poison would give
+the same results for the summer spray. Judicious pruning also tends to
+thin the fruit and improve the quality.
+Seedling stocks— Quince of Angers—are largely imported from Europe for
+roots. These roots are used also for dwarfing the pear. The trees are
+grown much the same as other nursery trees. The seedlings are set in
+the nursery row in early sprmg and budded in August. By a year from the
+following spring, that is two years from the setting of the seedling,
+the trees are ready for the planter. The quince can also be propagated
+by cuttings, mound-layering and root-grafting, but the above-named
+method is the common one in practice.
+
+Trees received from the nursery should be given the same care as other
+nursery trees. Heel them in carefully if the soil is not ready for
+planting. Plant about 2 inches deeper than the bud. Head at 15 to 20
+inches. If budded trees are used and planted the proper depth, there is
+little or no danger from suckering.
+
+The most damaging diseases are fire-blight, affecting the wood and
+especially the new growth; leaf-blight, affecting branches, fruit and
+foliage; and black-rot and bitter-rot, affecting the fruit. For the
+fire-blight, the worst disease, there is no direct remedy, but trees
+should not be allowed to over-grow, wild hawthorns and wild apples and
+pears near the plantation should be destroyed, and all affected parts
+should be removed promptly.
+
+The most serious insect attacking the quince is the quince curculio
+(Conotrachelus crataegi). This may be controlled by spraying with six
+to eight pounds of lead arsenate to one hundred gallons of water, or in
+the place of water bordeaux mixture at the proper season. This must be
+done when the beetles first make their appearance and again about ten
+days later. This insect is found on the quince in Ontario. The same
+insects as attack the apple generally attack the quince and the
+treatments are similar. Sometimes the jarring method is employed, as
+shown in Fig. 3330, as for the plum, the beetles being knocked off by
+hitting the tree with a padded mallet.
+
+Orange (Fig. 3325) and Champion are the leading varieties of quince.
+The former is the variety most largely grown in Ontario and previous to
+1870 was the only variety. It is large in size, skin golden yellow with
+greenish or russet color around stem. The flesh is tender and the
+flavor good. The season is late September and October. Its origin was
+southern Europe. The latter variety, of American origin, is large,
+pear-shaped and on the tree has a distinctly greenish yellow color. The
+tree is larger and taller-growing than Orange. The fruit is very late
+ripening. Other commonly grown varieties are Bentley, Fuller, Rea,
+Meech, and Van Deman.
+F. M. Clement.
+}}
+
{{Taxobox
{{Taxobox
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