Hambledon Deux Ans
AppleHambledon Deux Ans
Origin/History
Hambledon Deux Ans originated at Hambledon, in Hampshire, England, around 1750. It is cited in Ronalds (p. 42) and was recorded under a wide array of synonyms in historical literature, including Black Blenheim, Green Blenheim, Stone Blenheim, Blue Stone Pippin, Grahams, Deux Ans (and phonetic renderings), Yorkshire Queen, and others.
Tree
Growth is moderate; fertility is moderate. Leaves are dark, slightly upfolded, and very finely and regularly serrate.
Fruit
Size and Form
The two sources present somewhat differing descriptions of size and form. Downing describes the fruit as medium and roundish oblate. Bunyard describes it as fairly large, measuring 3 inches by 2¼ inches, oval conical and slightly irregular in form.
Stem
The stem is very short, set in a shallow russet cavity that always shows a lump on one side (Bunyard).
Cavity
The cavity is shallow, russeted, and characteristically shows a lump on one side (Bunyard).
Calyx
The eye is firmly closed (Bunyard).
Basin
The basin is shallow, ribbed, and knobbed (Bunyard).
Skin
Downing describes the skin as yellow, mostly overspread and indistinctly splashed with red. Bunyard describes the color as yellow, nearly covered with a brown-red flush and faint stripes.
Flesh and Flavor
The two sources give differing accounts of the flesh. Downing describes the flesh as yellowish, juicy, and of pleasant subacid flavor, rating the fruit Good. Bunyard describes the flesh as dry, hard, and yellow, with a little sweetness.
Core and Seeds
Not described in source.
Season
Downing places the season in November. Bunyard, describing Hambledon Deux Ans as a culinary variety, gives its season as January to August, reflecting its notable keeping qualities. Bunyard characterizes it as a good late keeper.
Uses
Bunyard classifies Hambledon Deux Ans as a culinary variety. Downing does not specify a use category beyond the general quality rating of Good.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 3 catalogs (1900–1913) from England, Illinois
- George Bunyard & Co. , Royal Nurseries, Maidstone, Kent , England — 1900
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1913
View original book sources (2)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Hambledon Deux Ans.
Origin, Hampshire, England.
Fruit medium, roundish oblate, yellow, mostly overspread and indistinctly splashed with red. Flesh yellowish, juicy, pleasant subacid. Good. November.
— E.A. Bunyard, A Handbook of Hardy Fruits (1920)HAMBLEDON DEUX ANS. Ronalds, p. 42. G., Dauer Apfel von Hambledon. (Black Blenheim, Green Blenheim, Stone Blenheim, Blue Stone Pippin, Grahams, Deux Ans (and phonetic renderings), Yorkshire Queen, etc., etc.) Culinary, January to August, fairly large, 3 by 2¼ oval conical, slightly irregular. Colour, yellow, nearly covered with brown-red flush and faint stripes. Flesh, dry, hard, yellow, a little sweet. Eye, firmly closed in a shallow ribbed and knobbed basin. Stem, very short in a shallow russet cavity, always showing a lump on one side. Growth, moderate; fertility, moderate. Leaf, dark, slightly upfolded, very finely and regularly serrate. Origin, at Hambledon, in Hampshire, about 1750. A good late keeper.