Beauty Of Hants
AppleOrigin and History
Raised at Basset, Southampton, in Mrs. Eyre Crabbes garden. Introduced to notice about 1880. A seedling of Offine. A fine form of Blenheim Orange, though often incorrectly synonymized with that variety. First recorded in Florist and Pomologist (1882, p. 89).
Tree
Growth and habit: Very strong growth.
Leaves: Upcupped, round oval, dark green, with boldly curved serrate margins.
Fruit
Size and form: Very large. 3 by 2¾ inches. Roundish square, rather irregular in outline.
Skin: Dull yellow-green ground with brick-red flush. Russet patches present on surface.
Stem: Short and stout. Set in a rather shallow cavity which is slightly russet.
Calyx and basin: Eye open. Set in a broad, even basin which is rather deep.
Flesh and flavor: Very crisp, yellowish in color. Highly aromatic.
Core and seeds: Core is abaxile. Seeds are short and plump (this distinction from the axile core and long, pointed seeds of Blenheim Orange is crucial for identification, as the two varieties are often confused).
Season and Use
Dessert variety. Season: December to March.
Distinction from Similar Varieties
vs. Blenheim Orange: While Beauty of Hants is a form of Blenheim Orange, it is perfectly distinct. Blenheim Orange has an axile core with long, pointed seeds; Beauty of Hants has an abaxile core with short, plump seeds. Barron's placement of Beauty of Hants as a synonym of Blenheim is incorrect.
Book Sources
Described in 1 period pomological work
View original book sources (1)
— E.A. Bunyard, A Handbook of Hardy Fruits (1920)BEAUTY OF HANTS. Fl. and Pom., 1882, p. 89. F., Seedling Offine. Dessert, December to March, very large, 3 by 2¾, roundish square, rather irregular. Colour, dull yellow-green, brick red flush, russet patches. Flesh, very crisp, yellowish, highly aromatic. Eye, open in a broad even basin, which is rather deep. Stem, short and stout in a rather shallow cavity which is slightly russet. Growth, very strong. Leaf, upcupped, round oval, dark green, boldly curved serrate. Origin, raised at Basset, Southampton, in Mrs. Eyre Crabbes garden, and introduced to notice about 1880. A fine form of Blenheim Orange. Barron places this as a synonym of Blenheim, which is quite wrong as is it perfectly distinct since the core of a Blenheim is axile and the seeds are long and pointed, while the core of Beauty of Hants is abaxile and the seeds are short and plump.