NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



329 



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APPLE QUINCE. 



STnon\'m8 — Apple- shaped. Orange, Cijdonia Maliformis, Coignassier Maliforme of the French. 



The quince is among our most valuable fruits ; and 

 though not adapted to the dessert, it is prepared in 

 Tarious ways, and is most excellent, being so high 

 flavored that it gives character to various other fruits 

 that are cooked with it. It has a very healthful 

 ^cct in various medical preparations, and in food is 

 both wholesome and palatable. 



The quince is hardy; and as it blossoms late, from 

 having its fruit on the new growth of the season, it 

 is more likely to escape injury from spring frosts. 

 An opinion has prevailed, generally, that the quince 

 will flourish only on cool, moist soils ; but practice 

 shows that it will flourish well on gravelly hills and 

 •andy plains, under skilful management. The fine 

 specimen from which our drawing is taken, is from 

 John Washburn, Plymouth, and it flourishes well in 

 the light lands there. 



The quince should be more extensively cultivated. 

 They are excellent for family use, and they sell well 

 in the market. It is but little cultivated north of 

 this state, because it does not ripen well. There are 

 two causes for this, both of which may be easily 

 obviated. One cause of the quince not ripening in 

 the north is, that the Pear quince, which is several 

 weeks later than the Apple quince, is generally cul- 

 tivated. Another cause of late ripening is planting 



the trees in a cool, heavy soil, instead of a warm soil 

 and location. With the Apple quince, a warm, sandy 

 loam, and a favorable location, this highly valuabl* 

 fruit may be extended nearly to all parts of New 

 England. 



The fruit of the Apple quince is large ; of irregular 

 shape, but resembling the apple in being rather 

 larger at or towards the base ; the skin is fair, smooth, 

 of a beautiful golden-yellow color ; the flesh is rather 

 tender, compared with other quinces ; and this quality 

 appears conspicuous after cooking, on which account 

 this variety is preferred by some nice observers in 

 the culinary art. This variety is a good grower, and 

 some horticulturists consider it fully equal to the 

 Portugal quince for stocks for dwarf pears. It bears 

 well. It may be propagated by seeds, layers, cut- 

 tings, or by budding and grafting on kindred stocks. 



A sound economy is a sound understanding 

 brought into action. It is calculation realized. It 

 is the doctrine of proportion reduced to practice. It 

 is the foreseeing contingencies and providing against 

 them. — Hannah More. 



Half an ounce of alum in powder, will purify 

 twelve gallons of corrupted water. 



