S28 



HISTORY OF THE VEGETABLE KINGDOM. 



nae. The term marmalade is derived from the 

 Portuguese name for the quince, marmelo. Ger- 

 ai'd says, that in his time quince trees were 

 planted in the hedges of gardens and vineyards; 

 and marmalade, two centuries ago, seems to have 

 been in general use, principally from a belief 

 that it possessed valuable medicinal properties. 

 The seeds of the quince are still used in medi- 

 cine, on account of tlio great quantity of muci- 

 lage which they yield to boiling water. 



There are eight varieties of the quince noticed 

 in the fruit catalogue of the Horticultural So- 

 ciety. Amongst these the Chinese quince (ci/- 

 donia C/nnensisJ is inserted on account of the re- 

 semblance which its fruit has to that of the 

 common quince; although in Franco, where only 

 in Europe it has produced fruit, it is not con- 

 sidered eatable. The Chinese quince was intro- 

 duced into England and Holland nearly forty years 

 ago, and was planted in France about ten years 

 later. The tree has much the appearance of the 

 common quince, as well as the fruit. It is re- 

 markable for the number and brilliancy of its 

 flowers. 



The quince is not eaten raw, but is used in 

 pies or tarts, stewed. It also forms an excellent 

 marmalade or syrup. When apples have lost 

 their flavour, the addition of a few quinces adds 

 much to their sharpness and acidity. The ex- 

 pressed juice of the quince was formerly a good 

 deal employed in medicine; as also an infusion 

 of the seeds, wliich forms a good emollient, simi- 

 lar to that made from the gums. 



This tree prefers a soft moist soil, and rather 

 shady situation. It is propagated by layers and 

 cuttings, and approved sorts are perpetuated by 

 grafting. 



The Medlar, (niespilus Germanica.) Tliia is 

 a middle sized branching tree. The branches 

 are woolly and covered with an ash-coloured 

 bark, and in a wild state armed with stiff spines. 

 The leaves ai-e oval, lanceolate, serrate; towards 

 the point somewhat woolly, and set on very short 

 channeled petioles. The flowers are produced 

 on small natural spurs, at the ends and sides of 

 the branches. The bracteae are as long as the 

 corolla, the calyxes terminating fleshy, the petals 

 white. The tree flowers in June and July, and 

 the fruit is ripe in November. 



The medlar is a fruit resembling the smaller 

 apples, and has a good deal of flavour, but is not 

 fit for use until it is very ripe. This ripeness is 

 seldom or never attained while the fruit remains 

 on the tree. It is generally understood to be a 

 native of the south of Europe; but it has been 

 naturalized, though rarely, in the hedgerows in 

 England. 



In Sicily, according to Miller, it rises to be a 

 large tree, with a straight stem, and the fruit 

 shaped like a pear. The Dutch medlar, which 

 ia the kind most cultivated in England, does not 



reach a great height, and is crooked and nnsightl y 

 in the branches. The leaves are much larger 

 than those of the common medlar, and they are 

 downy on their under sides. Tlie fruit, also, is 

 larger, and so are the flowers; but it is inferior 

 in pungency and flavour to the smaller sort, 

 which is known by the name of the Nottingham 

 medlar. 



The timber of the medlar is very hard and 

 durable. The tree is also rather a slow grower, 

 and lasts to a great age. 



True Service, (pyrus domestica.) This tree 

 is a native of France and Italy. It has also been 

 occasionally found wild in England. At present 

 it is scarcelycultivated in this country,and plants 

 of it are rarely to be met with in our nurseries. 

 It is a middle-sized tree; the leaves are small 

 and pinnated, and villous beneath. It bears a 

 profusion of white flowers. There are two var- 

 ieties, one bearing an apple-shaped fruit, the 

 other a pear-shaped. These fi-uits are very small, 

 and, like the medlar, are only eatable when mel- 

 lowed with age. They have a peculiar acrid 

 flavour. The wood of this tree is very hard and 

 homogeneous; quite free of pores, and is much 

 used in making mathematical rulers. 



In France it was also at one time employed 

 in the construction of screws for wine presses. 

 The tree is propagated by seeds, cuttings, and 

 layers; or, in good soils, by grafting on seedlings 

 of the same species. The best soil is a strong 

 clay loam. 



Cocoa Plum, ( clirt/sobalarms,) literally golden 

 acorn. There are two species of this tropical 

 fruit, the West Indian c. icaco, and the American 

 c. ohlongifolius. The icaco bears flowers and 

 fruit similar to those of the plum. This fruit is 

 common in the West Indies, and is eaten both 

 raw and preserved; both species grow well in a 

 sandy loam. They are propagated by large cut- 

 tings, taken off' at a joint. 



The Loquat, (criobotrya japonica.) This ia 

 also a tropical plant, belonging to the pomaccx. 

 The leaves are lanceolate and serrated, the fruit 

 about the size of a gooseberry, of a fine yellow 

 colour, and, according to Sir Joseph Banks, as 

 good as the mango. To bring it to maturity in 

 this country, it requires the heat of a stove, 

 and it comes into use in March. It may be 

 grafted on any species of the genus, or on the 

 hawthorn. 



Amygdalus. This, the Greek name of the 

 almond, forms a genus of fruit trees and shrubs, 

 comprehending the peach, nectarine, sweet and 

 bitter almond, dwarf almond, and a few others. 

 The leaves are lanceolate or obovate, with ser- 

 rated edges; the flowers make their appearance -' 

 early, and are of a delicate gray colour. The peach ,,. 

 and nectarine are the most delicious of European A 

 fruits : the sweet almond is esteemed for its ker- S 

 nel, which contains a quantity of bland fixed | 



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