Hurlbut
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Origin/History
The original tree grew on the farm of General Leonard Hurlbut, Winchester, Connecticut. In 1849, Cole wrote that "the original tree is still flourishing on the farm of General Leonard Hurlbut, Winchester, Conn." (Beach). Although long known in cultivation and quite widely disseminated, it has nowhere gained prominence as a commercial variety (Beach). It was still quite frequently listed by nurserymen as of the 1890s but was not being planted to any considerable extent (Beach). Hurlbut proved to be a profitable variety with some fruit growers, but it is not particularly attractive either in size or color nor does it take first rank for either home use or market (Beach).
Tree
Tree rather large, very vigorous (Downing) or vigorous to moderately vigorous (Beach), and a great bearer. Form spreading or roundish and somewhat inclined to droop (Beach). Comes into bearing moderately young and yields heavy crops biennially; because of the tendency to overproduction in bearing years, the size of the fruit is in many cases reduced and a considerable portion is too small to be marketable (Beach).
Twigs moderately long, slightly curved, moderately stout to rather slender; internodes below medium to short (Beach). Young wood dark brownish red, slightly downy (Downing). Bark dark brown to clear brownish-red, heavily mottled with scarfskin; slightly pubescent (Beach). Lenticels scattering, small, round, slightly raised (Beach). Buds prominent (Downing); medium size, broad, plump, obtuse, free, slightly pubescent (Beach).
Fruit
Size: Medium (Downing, Elliott, Thomas) to below medium or above medium, fairly uniform in size and shape (Beach).
Form: Oblate, slightly conic, angular (Downing, Elliott). Roundish, slightly oblate or inclined to oblate conic, somewhat angular, rather symmetrical (Beach). Thomas describes it as oblate, conic.
Stem: Short, rather slender (Downing, Elliott). Medium to short, rather slender (Beach). Thomas says the stalk is small.
Cavity: Broad and deep, surrounded by russet (Downing, Elliott). Acute, shallow to medium in depth, medium in width, symmetrical or compressed, usually covered with heavy outspreading russet (Beach). Thomas describes the cavity as large.
Calyx: Closed (Downing, Elliott). Medium or below, usually closed; lobes medium to long, narrow, acute (Beach).
Basin: Rather shallow (Downing, Elliott, Thomas). Shallow to medium in depth, narrow to nearly medium in width, somewhat abrupt, smooth or slightly wrinkled (Beach).
Skin: Yellow, shaded with red stripes, and splashed with darker red, and thinly sprinkled with light dots (Downing, Elliott). Thick, tough, smooth, greenish-yellow largely overspread with brownish-red or dull red, splashed and striped with carmine; dots scattering, inconspicuous, usually submerged, sometimes russet (Beach). Thomas says yellow striped with red.
Calyx Tube: Very short, wide, truncate conical with fleshy pistil point projecting into the base. Stamens marginal (Beach).
Core/Seeds: Core small (Downing). Core medium size, abaxile; cells wide open to nearly closed; core lines meeting or slightly clasping. Carpels nearly round. Seeds numerous, rather large, moderately wide, long, rather plump, acute (Beach).
Flesh/Flavor: White, crisp, tender, juicy, mild, sprightly subacid; good to very good (Downing). White, crisp, tender, juicy, with a mild sprightly subacid flavor (Elliott, Thomas). White or yellowish, moderately firm, rather fine, tender, crisp, very juicy, aromatic, mildly subacid, good to very good (Beach).
Season
Downing gives October to December. Elliott gives November to December. Beach gives October to December or January, noting the season is variable. Thomas does not specify a season.
Uses
The general appearance is good yet not particularly attractive either in size or color, nor does it take first rank for either home use or market (Beach).
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Description absent; variety present in variety-characteristic table.
Hurlbut..................... M rob yr G b a ...... ...... 2*
(Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture, 1914)
Elliott's description is explicitly attributed to Downing as its source.
Book Sources
Described in 5 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 6 catalogs (1890–1909) from Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania
- William H. Moon Co. , Morrisville, Bucks County , Pennsylvania — 1890
- Rogers Nursery Co. , Moorestown , New Jersey — 1893
- Reading Nursery , Jacob W. Manning, Proprietor, Reading , Massachusetts — 1898
- Brown Brothers Co. , Continental Nurseries, Rochester, NY (also operated from Toronto, Canada) — 1899
- Brown Brothers Co. , Continental Nurseries, Rochester, NY (also operated from Toronto, Canada) — 1901
- Wm. J. Corse (successor to Robert Sinclair / Sinclair Nurseries) , Baltimore , Maryland — 1909
View original book sources (5)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)HURLBUT.
Hurlbut Stripe.
Origin, farm of General Hurlbut, Winchester, Conn. Tree very vigorous, and great bearer. Young wood dark brownish red, slightly downy. Buds prominent.
Fruit medium, oblate, slightly conic, angular. Skin yellow, shaded with red stripes, and splashed with darker red, and thinly sprinkled with light dots. Stalk short, rather slender, inserted in a broad deep cavity, surrounded by russet. Calyx closed. Basin rather shallow. Flesh white, crisp, tender, juicy, mild, sprightly subacid. Good to very good. Core small. October, December.
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 2 (1905)HURLBUT.
REFERENCES. 1. Cole, 1849:118. fig. 2. Emmons, Nat. Hist. N. Y., 3:31. 1851. col. pl. and fig. 3. Downing, 1857:155. 4. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1862. 5. Warder, 1867:722. 6. Thomas, 1875:201. 7. Barry, 1883:347. 8. Lyon, Mich. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1890:292. 9. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:241. 10. Munson, Me. Sta. Rpt., 1893:133. 11. Dempsey, Ont. Fr. Stas. An. Rpt., 1:24. 1894. 12. Burrill and McCluer, Ill. Sta. Bul., 45:326. 1896. 13. Munson, Me. Sta. An. Rpt., 18:89. 1902. 14. Powell and Fulton, U. S. B. P. I. Bul., 48:45. 1903. 15. Beach and Clark, N. Y. Sta. Bul., 248:126. 1904.
SYNONYMS. HURLBURT (2). HURLBUT (1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15). Hurlbut Stripe (3). HURLBUTT (5).
The general appearance of Hurlbut is good yet it is not particularly attractive either in size or color nor does it take first rank for either home use or market. The tree is a strong grower, comes into bearing moderately young and yields heavy crops biennially. Because of the tendency of the tree to overproduction in bearing years the size of the fruit is in many cases reduced and a considerable portion of it is too small to be marketable. Hurlbut has proved to be a profitable variety with some fruit growers but although it has long been known in cultivation and has been quite widely disseminated it has nowhere gained prominence as a commercial variety.
Historical. In 1849 Cole (1) wrote: "The original tree is still flourishing on the farm of General Leonard Hurlbut, Winchester, Conn." It is still quite frequently listed by nurserymen (9) but is not being planted to any considerable extent.
TREE.
Tree rather large, vigorous or moderately vigorous. Form spreading or roundish and somewhat inclined to droop. Twigs moderately long, slightly curved, moderately stout to rather slender; internodes below medium to short. Bark dark brown to clear brownish-red, heavily mottled with scarfskin; slightly pubescent. Lenticels scattering, small, round, slightly raised. Buds medium size, broad, plump, obtuse, free, slightly pubescent.
FRUIT.
Fruit below medium to above, fairly uniform in size and shape. Form roundish, slightly oblate or inclined to oblate conic, somewhat angular, rather symmetrical. Stem medium to short, rather slender. Cavity acute, shallow to medium in depth, medium in width, symmetrical or compressed, usually covered with heavy outspreading russet. Calyx medium or below, usually closed; lobes medium to long, narrow, acute. Basin shallow to medium in depth, narrow to nearly medium in width, somewhat abrupt, smooth or slightly wrinkled. Skin thick, tough, smooth, greenish-yellow largely overspread with brownish-red or dull red, splashed and striped with carmine. Dots scattering, inconspicuous, usually submerged, sometimes russet. Calyx tube very short, wide, truncate conical with fleshy pistil point projecting into the base. Stamens marginal. Core medium size, abaxile; cells wide open to nearly closed; core lines meeting or slightly clasping. Carpels nearly round. Seeds numerous, rather large, moderately wide, long, rather plump, acute. Flesh white or yellowish, moderately firm, rather fine, tender, crisp, very juicy, aromatic, mildly subacid, good to very good. Season variable; October to December or January (15).
— Granville Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)Hurlbut..................... M rob yr G b a ...... ...... 2*
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)HURLBUT. Hurlbut Stripe.
Origin, farm of Gen. Hurlbut, Winchester, Conn. Tree, very vigorous, and great bearer. Fruit, medium, oblate, slightly conic angular ; skin, yellow, shaded with red stripes, and splashed with darker red, and thinly sprinkled with light dots ; stalk, short, rather slender, inserted in a broad, deep cavity, surrounded by russet ; calyx, closed, basin rather shallow ; flesh, white, crisp, tender, juicy, with a mild sprightly sub-acid flavor. November, December. (Downing.)
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Hurlbut. Size medium, oblate, conic; yellow striped with red; stalk small; cavity large; basin shallow; flesh white, crisp, tender, with a mild sub-acid flavor. Connecticut.