Quince
AppleQuince
Origin / History
Origin uncertain; first described by Coxe. In appearance much like a large yellow Newtown Pippin (Downing). Grown at the West it is larger than in New England, of a rich high flavor, and by some esteemed very highly (Downing). Warder's Cole's Quince does not appear to be exactly the same as that described by Coxe, and later by Downing; not very extensively cultivated; his specimens are from "that precise pomologist T. T. Lyon, of Michigan."
Tree
Hardy, vigorous, upright spreading, and productive. Young shoots dull reddish brown. Buds small, reddish, pointed. In Cole's Quince the young wood is clear rich reddish brown, with buds short, abrupt, prominent (Downing).
Fruit
Size: Medium to large; larger when grown at the West than in New England (Downing). Full medium in Cole's Quince (Warder).
Form: Roundish oblate, somewhat broadly ribbed (Downing). Globular, angular, ribbed in Cole's Quince (Warder).
Stem: Short (Downing). Medium, yellow in Cole's Quince (Warder).
Cavity: Broad, open, deep (Downing). Acute, wavy in Cole's Quince (Warder).
Calyx: Closed (Downing). Eye small, closed in Cole's Quince (Warder).
Basin: Large, rather deep, furrowed or uneven (Downing). Narrow, folded, plaited in Cole's Quince (Warder).
Skin: Yellow, rarely with a flush (Downing). Smooth, greenish yellow, pale in Cole's Quince (Warder).
Dots: Not described in source.
Flesh and flavor: Flesh yellowish white, crisp, tender, a little coarse; flavor brisk, pleasant subacid with a quince aroma; of rich high flavor when grown at the West. Quality "Very good" (Downing). Cole's Quince: flesh yellowish white, tender, fine-grained, juicy; flavor subacid, aromatic; quality "good for cooking" (Warder).
Core and seeds: Core rather large (Downing). In Cole's Quince core oval, closed, meeting the eye; seeds numerous, angular, plump, brown (Warder).
Season
October to December (Downing). November to January in Cole's Quince (Warder).
Uses
Cooking, for Cole's Quince (Warder).
Subtypes / Variants
Cole's Quince, claimed to have originated in Cornish, Maine. Downing finds the fruit of the two very similar and has at times questioned its identity; the young wood differs in shade of color (see Tree). Warder's fruit description is of this form.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 1 catalog (1845) from Massachusetts
- Winship's Nursery (Brighton Nurseries , operated by the Winship family), Brighton (Boston) , Massachusetts — 1845
View original book sources (2)
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)Quince.
COLE'S QUINCE.
This does not appear to be exactly the same as that described by Coxe, and later by Downing. This fruit is not very extensively cultivated. The specimens described are from that precise pomologist T. T. Lyon, of Michigan.
Fruit full medium, globular, angular, ribbed; Surface smooth, greenish-yellow, pale.
Basin narrow, folded, plaited; Eye small, closed.
Cavity acute, wavy; Stem medium, yellow.
Core oval, closed, meeting the eye; Seeds numerous, angular, plump, brown; Flesh yellowish-white, tender, fine-grained, juicy; Flavor sub-acid, aromatic; Quality good for cooking; Season, November to January.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Quince.
Seneca Spice ? Pear Apple.
Origin uncertain ; first described by Coxe. In appearance this Apple is much like a large yellow Newtown Pippin ; grown at the West it is larger than in New England, of a rich high flavor, and by some esteemed very highly. Tree hardy, vigorous, upright spreading, and productive. Young shoots dull reddish brown. Buds small, reddish, pointed.
Fruit medium to large, roundish oblate, yellow, rarely with a flush, somewhat broadly ribbed. Stalk short. Cavity broad, open, deep. Calyx closed. Basin large, rather deep, furrowed or uneven. Flesh yellowish white, crisp, tender, a little coarse, with a brisk, pleasant subacid quince aroma. Core rather large. Very good. October, December.
There is another Quince, or Coles Quince, which is claimed to have originated in Cornish, Maine. The fruit of the two is very similar, and we have at times questioned its identity. The young wood is, however, different in shade of color, being clear rich reddish brown, with buds short, abrupt, prominent.