QUINCES. 



rTlHE Quince (Cydonia vulgaris) is a low-spreading deciduous tree, and is said to have 

 been introduced from the ancient town of Cydon, in Crete, to the other parts of 

 Europe. It is a native of Northern Persia, but is naturalised in the Mediterranean, 

 region. As a fruit tree, it is cultivated throughout Europe, in many parts of America, 

 and at the Antipodes. The leaves are alternate and entire, flowers large, white, 

 sometimes with a blush of rose ; the fruit is somewhat pear-shaped, yellowish, and 

 cottony, internally containing five cartilaginous cells, in each of which the seeds are 

 arranged in two series to the number of eight and upwards, covered with a mucilagin- 

 ous substance. The fruit emits a powerful and rather peculiar perfume when ripe ; it 

 is hard and austere in a raw state, but becomes excellent when boiled and eaten with 

 sugar, or preserved in syrup, or made into marmalade or jelly. When mixed with other 

 fruits, especially apples, in cookery, quinces communicate a pleasant flavour, and a 

 wine may be made from them, adding a pound of sugar to a quart of juice, and 

 fermenting. 



SELECT VARIETIES. 



APPLE-SHAPED OR ORANGE. Frait large, roundish ; 

 skin fine golden yellow ; flesh excellent when, 

 cooked ; ripe in August and September ; tree a free 

 bearer. Eea's Mammoth is said to be a very 

 large and fine variety of the Orange (or Apple- 

 shaped) ; a strong grower and very productive. 

 West's Mammoth is also stated to lie "of the 

 Orange quince family ; round, clear yellow, very 

 large, fine flavour, and for the class a very good 

 keeper." Both are American varieties. 



CHAMPION. Fruit very large, round (apple- shaped) ; 

 skin bright yellow, handsome; flesh cooks as 

 tender as the apple, and without hard spots or 

 cores ; flavour delicate, imparting an exquisite 

 quince taste and odour to any fruit with which it 



is cooked ; tree very productive, and be rs abun- 

 dantly when young. An American variety, which 

 is highly recommended. 



PEAR-SHAPED. Fruit large, pyriform ; skin yellow 

 and somewhat woolly; flesh dry, and fairly 

 good ; ripe in September ; tree hardy, and a good 

 bearer, most commonly grown, and the best for 

 most situations. 



PORTUGAL. Fruit very large, pyriform, but widest in 

 the middle ; skin golden yellow, covered with 

 grey wool ; flesh tender when cooked, juicy, and 

 with a fine delicate flavour ; turns purple or 

 crimson in cooking ; ripe in October ; tree larger 

 and less hardy than the other varieties, and requires 

 a warm situation. 



PROPAGATION AND MANAGEMENT. 



Seeds of the quince seldom ripen in this country and seedlings are only used for 

 stocks on which pears are to be established. Seedlings are raised similar to those from 



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