Hambling's Seedling
AppleHambling's Seedling
Origin/History
Hambling's Seedling was raised by Colonel Hambling of Dunstable, and introduced by Messrs. G. Bunyard & Co., Maidstone, in 1894. The variety was first published in the Gardeners' Chronicle, 1893, p. 535. A plant introduction record (PI No. 157729) documents the variety as received from England in 1947, with the U.S. Plant Introduction Station at Glenn Dale, Maryland (MdG) serving as the reporting station.
Tree
Growth is sturdy and spreading, with well-developed spurs. The tree is fertile when mature. Leaves are rather large, pea green, upcupped, and evenly serrate.
Fruit
Size and Form
A very large fruit, measuring 3½ inches by 2¼ inches, round conical in shape and fairly regular in outline.
Skin
Colour is an even pale yellow.
Stem and Cavity
The stem is very short, set in a wide russet cavity.
Calyx and Basin
The eye is open, situated in a wide, shallow basin that is often almost level with the surface of the fruit.
Flesh and Flavor
Flesh is tender and pale yellow, sub-acid in character. Cooks frothily. Noted as being of remarkably good flavour.
Core and Seeds
Not described in source.
Season
January to March.
Uses
Culinary. Described as a valuable late cooker of remarkably good flavour. Makes a good standard tree.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
The variety was introduced to the United States trade through plant introduction channels, recorded under PI No. 157729, received from England in 1947 and evaluated at the U.S. Plant Introduction Station, Glenn Dale, Maryland.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 7 catalogs (1900–1917) 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
- James Veitch & Sons , Ltd., Royal Exotic Nursery, Chelsea, London (also Coombe Wood, Langley, and Feltham) , England — 1911
- Thomas Rivers & Son , Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire , England — 1913
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1913
- George Bunyard & Co. , Royal Nurseries, Maidstone, Kent , England — 1914
- George Bunyard & Co. , Royal Nurseries, Maidstone, Kent , England — 1917
View original book sources (2)
— E.A. Bunyard, A Handbook of Hardy Fruits (1920)HAMBLING'S SEEDLING. Gard. Chron., 1893, p. 535. Culinary, January to March, very large, 3½ by 2¼, round conical, fairly regular. Colour, even pale yellow. Flesh, tender, pale yellow, sub-acid, cooks frothily. Eye, open in a wide shallow basin, often almost level with surface. Stem, very short, in a wide russet cavity. Growth, sturdy, spreading, well spurred ; fertile when mature. Leaf, rather large, pea green, upcupped, evenly serrate. Origin, raised by Colonel Hambling, Dunstable, and introduced by Messrs. G. Bunyard & Co., Maidstone, in 1894. A valuable late cooker, of remarkably good flavour ; making a good standard tree.
— H.H. Fisher (USDA ARS), A Survey of Apple Clones in the United States (1963)Hambling's Seedling. PI No. 157729. Received from England 1947. Reporting Station: MdG (U.S. Plant Introduction Station, Glenn Dale, Maryland).