The Family Kitchen Gardener (1856)/Quince
QUINCE.
Prus Cydònia.—Coignassier, Fr.—Quittenbaum, Ger.
The Quince is supposed to be the Golden Apples of the ancients. It is a native of Austria, and is believed to have been cultivated in Britain three hundred years. Pliny writes, in his time, of their growing wild in hedge-rows, so large as to weigh down the boughs to the ground. Moderns use it only after being stewed, baked, or preserved. Quince marmalade is a favorite conserve, and Quince wine has been known to cure obstinate asthmatic complaints. There are only two varieties and a species that are worth notice.
Apple, or Orange Quince.—The fruit large, of a round-oval shape; skin very smooth; color, when ripe, a bright golden- yellow. A clean growing tree and a great bearer. Ripe in September and October.
Portugal Quince.—Fruit round, large size; color bright yellow. A strong-growing tree and bears a fair crop. This variety is used as stocks on which to bud or graft Pears; they fruit earlier upon it, and are much dwarfed by the process. It is a very general practice with the French, and for small gardens may be done to advantage in this country, but will not do for orchards.
Pyrus Sinensis, or Chinese Quince.—Shrub of upright growth, with pink flowers. Fruit very large, long-oval, smooth and regularly formed; color greenish-yellow. Flesh firm, rather dry. Ripe about the end of October. A beautiful preserve, of a bright pink color, can be made from the fruit. A specimen before me is really beautiful.
Propagation.—This is readily accomplished by layers or cuttings, as they root in either way very freely. Lay down the shoots early in Spring, or during the mild Winter months, and they will be rooted by the following November, when they can be planted out into rows till they are strong enough to be removed to the orchard. Cuttings taken off the old plants of the past year’s wood, or even wood of two years old, cut into lengths of about eight inches and planted into moist ground, will root the first year and soon attain to be good plants.
Soil.—A heavy, loamy soil, is said to be the best for the Quince. This is not borne out by results. The finest fruit I have ever seen is grown on deep, sandy loam, manured every season. If they are not well cultivated, they get knotty and deformed, producing fruit of like character.
Pruning.—Very little assistance is required from the knife, unless to give a direction to the formation of the tree, and for sbortening any shoots that extend beyond the regular bounds.