PLATE LXXVI. 
is often extremely ornamental, and when laden with ripe fruit, it forms a rich, picturesque, and 
beautiful object on the lawn, in the shrubbery, or in the pleasure ground. 
3. The Portugal Quince. This variety is stronger in growth than either of the preceding 
ones. The fruit is less rough in flavour. It turns to a rich, deep, red colour in cooking, and 
is therefore more prized for making marmalade or jam. It grows too freely to bear well, and 
consequently is not so profitable to grow for fruit. This very luxuriance, however, gives it the highest 
value in the nursery garden. It is very easily propagated by cuttings, suckers, or layers, and the 
young trees are used as stocks, to bud or graft pears on, for the purpose of forming the dwarf 
pyramidal trees, now so widely grown. 
The powerful fragrance and flavour of the Quince, is much improved by keeping the fruit for 
some time after it is gathered in a dry airy place. Its chief uses in these days are, when fresh, to give 
flavour by adding a small slice or two to apple pies and puddings ; to make the delicious conserve, 
or marmalade, so highly appreciated by most people ; and sometimes, when they are plentiful, a 
custom is borrowed from the ancients, and they are made into wine [kvSoovit^ oTvos). 
The Quince was much used in medicine as an astringent, a stomachic, a remedy against 
melancholy, a preservation from poison, and outwardly to encourage the growth, or restoration of 
hair. A glance at a few notices of the Quince by ancient authors will perhaps be the most 
interesting way of showing the many properties it was supposed to possess. 
The renown obtained by the Quince for its matrimonial virtues, was probably derived from a 
supposed law of Solon, that married folk should after marriage eat a Quince between them (Plut. 
Solon 20, Vol. I., p. 356, Reiske); and hence the nuptial chambers of the Greeks and Romans were 
decorated with the fruit ; and the bride and bridegroom ate of it after the marriage ceremony. Brand 
in his “ Popular Antiquities ” brings this custom to comparatively modern times. “ A present from 
a husband to his bride, is there noticed as part of the wedding entertainment, at an English marriage 
so late as in 1725.” (Vol. II., p. 97.) And, again, Brand gives the belief that “The baby boy born of 
a mother, who has eaten Quinces freely, and Coriander seed, is likely to prove ingenious.” (Vol. III., 
P- I 59 -) 
Varro (B.C. 116), one of the earliest writers on Rural Economy, mentions the Quince in a 
passage interesting for other reasons, and, speaking of apples, including Quinces of several sorts, he says, 
“ That in order to store them they should be laid on chaff or straw (paleas) in a dry, cool place, with 
openings to admit the North wind, but with shutters, lest when they lose their moisture they become 
shrivelled ; and therefore, he continues, people do well to line their store chambers, roof, floor and 
walls with cement (marmoratum) for coolness’ sake ; for which reason, also, some people choose to 
dine in the rooms thus provided ; and whereas some are pleased to make their dining-room their 
picture gallery, and thus enjoy a pleasure derived from art; why cannot they be persuaded to avail 
themselves of the lovely sight provided by Nature in a show of apples ; especially such people as 
are not obliged to buy their apples in Rome, in order to store them in their places of keeping.” (De 
Re Rtist. I. 59.) 
Columella (A.D. 40) speaks of Quinces of three sorts, which not only give pleasure but tend 
to health, “Non solum voluptatem, sed etiam salubritatem.” (De Re Rtist. V. 10.) He speaks also 
