HUBBARDSTON NONSUCH

Origin/History

HUBBARDSTON NONSUCH originated in the town of Hubbardston, Massachusetts. It was introduced to notice by Capt. Hyde of Newton, one of the oldest nurserymen of his era, who procured scions and distributed a great number of trees from his nursery long before its merits were generally known — more than thirty years before Hovey's 1852 account. The variety was first described by Mr. Kenrick in the first edition of the American Orchardist (1832). By 1852, it had not yet been very extensively disseminated, though Hovey predicted it would "undoubtedly occupy a prominent place in every good orchard" as it became better known.

Hovey (1852) placed HUBBARDSTON NONSUCH in the same rank among early winter apples that the Baldwin holds among later ones, and the Porter among autumn varieties — a combination of large size, beautiful appearance, and rich flavor. In the Western states, where some New England apples suffered from bitter rot, HUBBARDSTON NONSUCH was declared "first rate in every particular." At one time, according to Warder (1867), HUBBARDSTON NONSUCH and the Baldwin were confounded and mixed in some Western collections.

Tree

The tree is vigorous, upright, with regularly curved branches, the ends erect; when full grown it makes a uniform and moderately spreading head (Hovey). Warder describes it as vigorous, healthy, productive, an early bearer, round-leaved, and branching. The Central Experimental Farm at Agassiz, BC, where trees were planted in spring 1893, also records it as a vigorous grower. Hovey notes that the tree possesses large and handsome foliage and, at every stage of growth — whether in the nursery row or at maturity — a stately and symmetrical habit. It is among the hardiest sorts, surpassing the Baldwin in this respect, and thrives in various parts of the country.

Bearing habit: In the orchard, HUBBARDSTON NONSUCH bears a full crop only in alternate (bearing) years and a small crop in intermediate years. The fruit, though always handsome, is greatly improved by high cultivation, being then unusually large and brilliantly colored.

Wood: Brownish chestnut, sprinkled with whitish specks, moderately strong, and not very long-jointed. Annual shoots rather slender, long, and very downy at the ends (Hovey).

Buds: Rather small, short, and little flattened (Hovey).

Leaves: Rather large, ovate-oblong, broadest near the middle, narrowing little to the base and tapering to the point; thick, deep shining green above, and covered with a whitish down beneath; deeply, coarsely, and unequally serrated, with prominent nerves, and folded inwards at the edges. Petioles of medium length, about one inch long, and rather stout (Hovey). Warder characterizes the leaves as round.

Flowers: Medium size; petals oblong, nearly flat, thin, somewhat wavy, and tinged with pink (Hovey).

Fruit

Size

Hovey and Warder agree the fruit is large. Hovey gives measurements of approximately three and a quarter inches broad and three inches deep. The Central Experimental Farm (1900) describes the fruit as of medium size — a divergence possibly reflecting growing conditions or the particular strain under cultivation at Agassiz.

Form

Roundish, or roundish conical, largest near the middle, narrowing towards the crown and slightly to the stem (Hovey). Warder describes it as round, somewhat ovate, tapering both ways from the middle, regular, with the surface often uneven. The CEF concurs: roundish, conical.

Stem

Medium length, about three quarters of an inch long, rather slender (Hovey). Warder gives it as medium or short.

Cavity

Broad and regular, with a brown coloration (Hovey, Warder). Warder specifies it as wide and regular.

Calyx / Eye

Hovey describes the eye as large and partially open, little sunk in the basin, with the segments of the calyx broad and very short. Warder gives the eye as medium or small and open — a conflict with Hovey on size.

Basin

Broad, open, and ribbed (Hovey). Warder describes it as abrupt, wide, regular, leather-cracked, or russeted, or both.

Skin

Fair, smooth, and glossy (Hovey). The ground color is a rich yellow (Hovey, Warder), nearly covered with deep orange red (Hovey) — Warder characterizes the overall effect as mixed red with broken stripes, presenting a rich brownish appearance, while the CEF describes the coverage as nearly covered with dark red. Hovey notes that the red is rather indistinctly striped with light crimson. The stem base is often russetted (Hovey, Warder). Dots: Hovey describes them as sparse, large russet specks; Warder as scattered, gray, and prominent; the CEF as whitish dots.

Flesh and Flavor

Hovey describes the flesh as yellowish, rather fine, crisp and tender. Warder concurs on color (yellow) and adds that it is breaking, fine-grained, and juicy. The CEF describes the flesh as white — a divergence from the yellowish/yellow of the book sources — and as juicy and tender.

Juice tolerably abundant, with a rich admixture of sweet and acid, high-flavored and excellent (Hovey). Warder characterizes the flavor as acid, sub-acid, rich, with quality very good. The CEF gives the flavor as pleasant, mildly acid, quality good.

Core and Seeds

Hovey describes the core as small and nearly close, with seeds of medium size and plump. Warder disagrees substantially: he gives the core as large, heart-shaped, regular, sometimes partially open, and clasping the eye, with seeds few and pointed.

Season

Hovey gives the season of ripening as usually November to February; the fruit may be kept in a cool cellar until March in very good condition, though at the sacrifice of most of its fine flavor. He notes it is ripe in October. Warder's season is November and December. The CEF gives January and February — consistent with late keeping rather than early ripening.

Uses

Suitable for table use when perfectly ripe and for cooking early in the season (Warder). Hovey emphasizes its excellence as a dessert apple when well grown, with high flavor. The fruit is greatly improved by high cultivation, producing unusually large and brilliantly colored specimens.

Other

Hovey's illustration was made from a specimen grown under high cultivation, which he notes represents the fruit at its finest — unusually large and brilliantly colored relative to typical orchard conditions.