This is a fruit which is not very extensively cultivated in Britain. Our horticultural experience extends to several of the best places in the kingdom, and yet, strange to say, in only one of these places was it in cultivation, and attended to in the regular course with the rest of the representatives of Pomona's realm. How this is to be accounted for it is not easy to say, for we find that the Romans held it in some esteem, as Columella informs us that "Quinces not only yield pleasure but health." The fruit in a raw state is acid and astringent, with a powerful odour, and quite unfit for eating. It is used for making Quince marmalade, for stewing, and for flavouring Apple-pies and suchlike, as well as for making a nice light wine, which some hold in high esteem. The principal use for which the Quince is grown is to make stocks for the Pear, but as we spoke pretty fully of this when writing about that fruit, it is unnecessary to say more regarding it here.

There are four varieties in cultivation in Britain - viz., the common English, the common Portugal, the Apple-shaped, and the Pear-shaped Quince. The English is the most inferior of all, while the common Portugal is the best variety, but, unfortunately, a very shy bearer. The variety which is most generally cultivated is the Apple-shaped, which is a free bearer, and produces fruit about 3 inches in diameter, of a beautiful golden colour. It is the hardiest of all the four varieties, and consequently the best suited for our climate.

The Quince may be propagated by any one of the following methods - viz., by cuttings, by layers, or from seed. In propagating by cuttings, nice strong shoots of the present year's growth, with a heel of last year's wood attached, ought to be selected, and put in in September or October. They may be planted in rows 1 foot apart, and 4 or 6 inches plant from plant. They will root before next summer; and should they make good growths, it may be necessary during winter to transplant them into rows 2 feet apart and 1 foot plant from plant. Layers are propagated in the usual way by bending down the branches, and fixing them in the soil with a peg, until such time as they are fit to be removed from the parent tree. Another method, and a much better one, is to cut down a Quince-tree so as to form a stool, which during the following season will send forth a number of young shoots, which in autumn may be layered in the usual way, cutting back each shoot to within two or three buds of the soil. During the following season all these buds may start, but as soon as it is evident which will be the best shoot, the others should be removed.

In autumn of this year, layers done in this way will be well enough rooted to admit of their being removed into nursery-lines, where they may be planted 2 feet between the rows and 1 foot apart plant from plant. In France, the general practice is to cut down a young tree to 8 or 10 inches from the ground, and after it has made its young shoots and got them well ripened, earth is thrown up into a cone, so that these shoots are covered to the depth of 6 or 8 inches, and are generally well enough rooted by the end of the following season to be removed to nursery-lines. The soil being again removed, the tree will soon produce more shoots, which can be treated after the same method as before, so that a crop of young trees may be got every second year for a length of time by a very simple and easily-accomplished plan.

The Quince not being an erect-growing tree, there is some difficulty in getting it to form a straight stem, unless it be trained pretty firmly to a strong stake. If a dwarf tree is wanted, it must just be allowed to grow at will; but if a stem of, say, 2 or 3 feet is wanted, it must be attended to until the stem is formed, after which the management is just the same in either dwarf or standard. At the end of the first season the shoot from which the future tree is to grow should be cut back to 15 inches, if a dwarf tree is wanted. From this there will several shoots proceed on the following year, which should again be allowed to grow at will till pruning-time in winter, at which period they may all be removed, except three or four, which may remain, and be cut back to lengths of 1 foot to 1½ foot according to the strength of each. Year after year the same course may be pursued until the tree is thoroughly formed, taking care at all times to prevent crowding of wood, or the crossing of branches over one another - which is a thing very likely to occur in such a crooked-growing tree as the Quince. The soil best suited for the Quince is a light, rich, and a naturally moist one, although it will succeed in almost any soil, except heavy clays and dry sandy soils.

The best position for the Quince is in the orchard, and if a sheltered corner with an exposure to any point from south-east to south-west can be obtained, there is not much fear of success. In very cold and uncongenial districts, it might find a place upon the wall, where it may just be trained as recommended for the Pear in the volume of the 'Gardener' for 1869.

The insect enemies of the Quince are the same as we find attacking the Pear, and as they have received their due share of attention when speaking of that fruit in the volume for 1869 already referred to, there is no need to repeat what was then said. The only disease to which the Quince is liable - and that very seldom - is the Rhizoctonia mali, which is a fungus that sometimes attacks the roots. Unless it should increase to an alarming extent, it will not accomplish a vast amount of evil. In such a case, however, the best plan is to grub up the trees at once. If the trees are young they may be lifted, and, after having all the soil shaken from the roots, may be dipped in a strong solution of lime-water, and in a few minutes be washed in clean water and planted into fresh soil.