The Peach and the Quince. 143 



later. Both these gardens were also well 

 provided with cherry trees, and the latter 

 was assiduously cultivated from the twelfth 

 century downward. Gower, the poet, who 

 died an old man in 1408, refers to cherry 

 feasts, as well as cherry fairs, in his Confessio 

 Amantis. 



In the Dictionary of Garlandia (thirteenth 

 century) occurs persica, which Mr. Wright in- 

 terprets persica=Mala persica=- peaches ; but 

 I should not like to be sure of this without 

 some corroboration. The garden in which 

 these persica grew was not in England, but 

 at Paris. 



The French Gardener (1658) gives thirty- 

 eight varieties of this noble fruit. Perhaps 

 there are as many still in use. The large 

 October Peach only arrives at perfection 

 with us, as regards flavour and sweetness, in 

 late seasons at least in the open air. 



The quince, which is no longer used to any 

 large extent in cookery, and seems to have 

 grown out of favour, was among our Saxon 

 forefathers a rather conspicuous factor in its 

 particular province. One almost regrets its 



