HUBBARDSTON NONSUCH. John May. Old Town Pippin. Hubbardston. A fine, large, early winter fruit, which originated in the town of Hubbardston, Mass. The tree is a vigorous grower, forming a handsome branching head, and bears very large crops. Young shoots dull grayish brown, slightly downy. It is worthy of extensive orchard culture. Fruit large, roundish oblong, much narrower near the eye. Skin smooth, striped with splashes, and irregular broken stripes of pale and bright red, which nearly cover a yellowish ground. The calyx open, and the stalk short, in a russeted hollow. Flesh yellow, juicy, and tender, with an agreeable mingling of sweetness and acidity in its flavor. Very good to best. October to January.

— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)

HUBBARDSTON.

REFERENCES. 1. Kenrick, 1832:47. 2. Manning, 1838:62. 3. Mag. Hort., 7:45. 1841. 4. Downing, 1845:113. 5. Mag. Hort., 14:545. 1848. fig. 6. Ib., 15:63. 1849. 7. Thomas, 1849:166, 167. fig. 8. Emmons, Nat. Hist. N. Y., 3:65. 1851. col. pl. 51 and 74. 9. Hovey, 1:67. 1852. col. pl. fig. 10. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1852. 11. Hooper, 1857:46. 12. Oberdieck, Ill. Handb. der Obstk., 8:137. 13. Warder, 1867:600. fig. 14. Mag. Hort., 34:27. 1868. 15. Leroy, 1873:497. fig. 16. Barry, 1883:347. 17. Lyon, Mich. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1890:292. 18. Wickson, 1891:244. 19. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:241. 20. Green, Rural N. Y., 57:802. 1898. 21. Eneroth-Smirnoff, 1901:363. 22. Budd-Hansen, 1903:100. fig. 23. Can. Hort., 26:89. 1903. fig. 24. Powell and Fulton, U. S. B. P. I. Bul., 48:44. 1903. 25. Beach and Clark, N. Y. Sta. Bul., 248:125. 1904.

SYNONYMS. AMERICAN BLUSH (20). American Blush (25). American Nonpareille (15). Hubbardston (18). HUBBARDSTON NONSUCH (1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 13, 14, 16, 19, 21, 22). Hubbardston Nonsuch (15, 23, 24, 25). John May (15). NONPAREILLE DE HUBBARDSTON (15). NONSUCH (18). Nonesuch (24, 25). Orleans (25). SONDERGLEICHEN VON HUBBARDSTON (12). Van Vleet.

Hubbardston is an excellent variety for commercial planting and deserves to be better known among New York fruit growers. It varies remarkably under different conditions of soil and climate not only in vigor of tree but in certain fruit characters also, such as size, color, degree of smoothness or russeting of the skin and in the quality and flavor of the flesh. The fact that it has come to have various local names in different parts of the state is doubtless partly due to this variability. It is now generally conceded that American Blush, Van Vleet and Orleans are identical with Hubbardston, or at the most are but selected strains of that variety. In many parts of the state Hubbardston is one of the most profitable varieties of its season, ripening as it does between the perishable early autumn varieties and the late ripening winter apples. It has generally sustained the reputation of coming into bearing at an early age and yielding heavy crops as often as every other year and in many places it is almost an annual bearer. It is apt to be productive to a fault, and for this reason should receive extra attention to keep the soil fertile and the foliage well protected from insects and diseases. When grown upon its own trunk the body is sometimes injured by severe winters. The tree also is somewhat susceptible to attacks of the apple canker. For these reasons it is doubtless best for one who wishes to grow Hubbardston to plant some hardier and more vigorous variety such as the Northern Spy, and the following year topwork the trees to Hubbardston. Under favorable conditions the tree is a vigorous grower and the fruit is fair, smooth, uniform, of good size and pretty good color. The quality is excellent for dessert but less satisfactory for culinary use except very early in the season before the fruit loses acidity.

Its commercial limit in cellar storage does not extend much later than December. It is a very uncertain keeper and in cold storage should go out in late fall or early winter although sometimes it has been held in good condition till spring. Fruit of this variety grown in Central and Western New York usually is somewhat smaller and keeps better than that grown in the lower Hudson valley. It appears that its keeping quality is correlated to some extent with the size of the fruit. If there is only a medium crop on the tree and the fruit is large it goes down quicker than if the crop is heavier and the individual fruits smaller and firmer. Fruit of good color also has good keeping quality, other things being equal, but poorly colored fruit soon deteriorates in flavor and quality (25). When the trees are allowed to become greatly overloaded, as they often do where the apples are not thinned, there is apt to be a considerable portion of undersized and poorly colored fruit. There is also some loss from the early dropping of the fruit particularly where picking is too long delayed. Hubbardston reaches edible maturity in October and holds its flavor well till December or January, but after that time its quality usually deteriorates rapidly. It may often be kept in edible condition through the winter even in cellar storage but seldom with prime flavor.

Historical. Hubbardston is a native fruit which had its origin in Hubbardston, Massachusetts. As early as 1832 Kenrick referred to it as one of the most desirable varieties known in cultivation in Eastern Massachusetts (1). Although it has long been widely disseminated in New York there are many localities where it is yet unknown and many others where it has been introduced within recent years. The planting of it for commercial purposes is gradually increasing.

TREE.

Tree vigorous, sometimes large, but if it is allowed to overbear and is not properly fed it is more often moderately vigorous and of medium size. Form erect to roundish, somewhat spreading, rather dense. Twigs medium or rather long, spreading or erect, moderately stout, somewhat crooked, pubescent; internodes below medium to short. Bark dull olive-green with tinge of reddish-brown and mottled with thin gray scarf-skin. Lenticels scattering, conspicuous, medium to small, round or oblong, raised, becoming laterally compressed on the older bark. Buds medium, broad, obtuse, appressed, pubescent. Leaves medium to rather small, rather narrow and inclined to become incurved.

FRUIT.

Fruit above medium to large, sometimes very large. Form roundish ovate or slightly oblong to roundish inclined to conic, characteristically rounded toward the cavity, usually symmetrical, often obscurely ribbed. The crop is usually pretty uniform in size and shape but there is considerable variability in the fruit with crops of different seasons and different localities. Stem short to very short. Cavity rather deep, acute, symmetrical, sometimes slightly furrowed, usually russeted. Calyx small to large, open to nearly closed; when large the lobes are usually reflexed and separated at the base exposing the yellowish calyx tube. Basin moderately narrow to rather wide, shallow and somewhat obtuse to moderately deep and abrupt, distinctly furrowed, often marked with concentric flecks of russet in and about the basin. Skin sometimes quite smooth but more often roughened with dots, flecks and fine veins of russet and sometimes covered with faint bloom. Color yellow or greenish blushed and mottled with red which varies from dull brownish to clear bright red, and is more or less marked with deep carmine. Dots pale or russet, often large and irregular, especially conspicuous on the red portions of the fruit. Prevailing effect in highly colored specimens attractive red, mingled with more or less of yellow.

Calyx tube medium in length, broad, cone-shape. Stamens median. Core medium or rather small, more or less abaxile; cells usually pretty symmetrical, closed or partly open; core lines meeting or somewhat clasping. Carpels broadly roundish, slightly emarginate, tufted. Seeds numerous, medium to rather small, rather short, plump, acute, light brown. Flesh whitish slightly tinged with yellow, moderately firm, breaking, rather fine-grained, tender, moderately crisp, juicy, aromatic, rich, at first sprightly but becoming mild subacid mingled with sweet, very good to best.

Season October to January.

— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 1 (1905)

Hubbardston (H.'s Nonsuch). Size: large. Form: "re". Color: yellow-red. Quality: very good. Use: both kitchen and market. Season: winter. Northern Division: 18 reporting stations (also reported in another division). Central Division: 12 reporting stations (also reported in another division). Southern Division: not reported.

— Granville Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)

HUBBARDSTON NONSUCH. Hubbardton Pippin. American : originated in Mass. A superior fruit, succeeding even better when grown West than in its native locality, but not always hardy. Tree, vigorous grower ; shoots, rather slender, very different from the Baldwin, which has often been disseminated as this variety ; spreading ; very productive. Fruit, large, West very large ; form, roundish ovate, very regular : color, yellow ground, mostly overspread, and partially striped with rich red ; stem, short ; cavity, narrow ; calyx, with short open segments ; basin, deep, round, rarely ribbed ; flesh, yellowish, mild, sub-acid, juicy. October to February.

— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)

Hubbardston.* Large, round-ovate, largest at the middle, nearly regular; color with small broken stripes and numerous dots of light rich red on a rich yellow ground; stalk three-fourths to one inch long; cavity acute, russeted; calyx open, basin ribbed; flesh yellowish, very rich, slightly sub-acid, with a strong mixture of a rich sweet flavor, excellent. Early winter. A famous New England sort—fine at the North and Northwest. Shoots rather slender, gray. A native of Hubbardston, Mass. Loses flavor by keeping. Coming into favor as a commercial sort.

— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)

A valuable, large yellow apple, mottled and shaded with rich red. A good long keeper. Under favorable conditions this fine apple is hard from keeping quite well. Will keep in common storage till spring, bearing the large specimens of an individual good quality. Very excellent for export. A reliable market apple. NCS

— Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co., Stark Bros. Year Book (1910) (1910)

Hubbardston (Hubbardston Nonsuch). — Origin, Hubbardston, Massachusetts; tree of strong, spreading growth, very productive.

Fruit large, roundish oblong, conical, regular; surface yellow, covered with orange red and mixed bright brownish-red splashes and small stripes; dots few, gray, distinct; cavity deep, regular, narrow, russeted; stem short, slender; basin abrupt, wide, slightly ribbed and wrinkled, often russeted and leather-cracked; calyx open. Core large, closed, or nearly so, clasping; seeds few, pointed; flesh yellow, tender, juicy, very rich, slightly subacid, mingled with an agreeable sweetness, very good. Early winter.

— J.L. Budd & N.E. Hansen, American Horticultural Manual, Part II: Systematic Pomology (1914)

HUBBARDSTON. Fig. 26. American Blush. Hubbardston Nonsuch. Nonsuch. Hubbardston, under favorable conditions, is a most excellent apple. The fruits are of large size, handsome color, good enough for dessert, smooth, uniform, and are produced abundantly on a vigorous tree. Unfortunately, several faults condemn the variety for general culture. The apples, very good for dessert, are not at all suitable for culinary uses. The variety is so variable on different soils and in different climates in both tree- and fruit-characters as to be unsatisfactory. Thus, very often, the trees do not hold the crop well, the apples are undersized, poorly colored, drop badly; the crop does not keep its allotted time, and the trees suffer from winter injury. The variety takes its name from Hubbardston, Massachusetts, where it originated at least a century ago, and whence it has been widely disseminated throughout northern United States.

Tree vigorous, large, erect, spreading, dense. Leaves small, narrow, incurved. Fruit medium to large, roundovate to round-conic, characteristically rounded toward the cavity, symmetrical, often obscurely ribbed; stem short; cavity deep, acute, symmetrical, sometimes furrowed, russeted; calyx small, open or closed; basin narrow, shallow to deep, furrowed, often marked with concentric flecks of russet in and about the basin; skin smooth or more often roughened with dots, flecks and fine veins of russet, covered with faint bloom; color yellow, blushed and mottled with red which varies from dull brown to bright red, more or less marked with carmine; dots pale or russet, often large and irregular, conspicuous on the red portions of the fruit; calyx-tube medium in length, broad, cone-shape; stamens median; core small, abaxile; cells symmetrical, closed or partly open; core-lines meeting or clasping; carpels broad, round, emarginate, tufted; seeds numerous, small, short, plump, acute, light brown; flesh yellow, firm, breaking, fine-grained, tender, crisp, juicy, aromatic, rich, at first sprightly but becoming mild subacid; very good to best; October to January.

— U.P. Hedrick, Cyclopedia of Hardy Fruits (1922)

Hubbardston. Reported without further description by the Agricultural Experiment Station, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, and the Agricultural Experiment Station, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan. Origin in Mass. early 19th cent. or before; received from J. H. King, Trumansburg, N.Y., 1906. Fruit medium-large, round-ovate to round-conical. Skin yellow with dots and flecks of russet. Flesh white, moderately firm, crisp, juicy, aromatic, rich, very good. Season October–January. Tree vigorous, sometimes large. Reported by the Agricultural Experiment Station, Department of Pomology, Geneva, New York.

— H.H. Fisher (USDA ARS), A Survey of Apple Clones in the United States (1963)