Garden
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Garden Apple
Origin/History
Originated with Hezekiah Ellis in Spottsylvania County, Virginia (Downing). Downing also records a separate entry under "Comstock's Garden," of uncertain origin.
Downing notes that Warder, in his American Pomology (p. 435), describes a Garden Apple and simultaneously gives "Garden Royal" as a synonym; Downing judges this latter designation erroneous, as Garden Royal is a distinct fruit.
Tree
Comstock's Garden (Downing): Moderately vigorous, productive.
Not described in source for the primary Garden entry.
Fruit
Size and Form: The main Downing entry describes the fruit as small and oblate. Thomas concurs: small. Comstock's Garden (Downing) is described as medium size, roundish oblate.
Warder's account (as quoted by Downing) conflicts substantially with the above, describing the fruit as pretty large, roundish flat, and regular.
Skin: Main Downing entry: yellow ground, shaded, splashed, and striped with two shades of red nearly over the whole surface, moderately sprinkled with light and gray dots. Thomas describes it simply as striped.
Comstock's Garden (Downing): whitish ground, nearly covered with narrow stripes of light and dark red, and thickly sprinkled with conspicuous light dots.
Warder's account: smooth surface, yellowish green, slightly shaded with red, scattered stripes of carmine, dots minute and black.
Stem: Main Downing entry: long and slender. Comstock's Garden: short and slender. Warder's account: short to medium, sometimes knobby.
Cavity: Main Downing entry: medium, thinly russetted. Warder's account: deep, acute, regular, green.
Calyx: Main Downing entry: closed; segments rather long, partially recurved. Comstock's Garden: nearly closed. Warder's account: closed.
Basin: Main Downing entry: abrupt, slightly corrugated. Comstock's Garden: medium, slightly furrowed. Warder's account: wide, regular, small.
Flesh and Flavor: Main Downing entry: flesh white, a little stained next the skin, crisp, juicy, mild subacid. Quality rated Good to Very Good.
Comstock's Garden (Downing): flesh white tinged with red, not very tender; valued primarily as a cooking fruit.
Warder's account: flesh pale yellow or whitish, tender, fine-grained, juicy, subacid, aromatic, saccharine, agreeable.
Core and Seeds: Warder's account: core wide, closed or open, regular, clasping the eye. Not described in source for the primary Garden entry or Comstock's Garden.
Season
Main Downing entry: November–December. Thomas: November. Comstock's Garden (Downing): September–October. Warder's account: August–October.
Uses
Comstock's Garden noted by Downing as valuable as a cooking fruit. Main entry rated Good to Very Good as a dessert fruit.
Subtypes/Variants
Downing presents what may be two or three distinct apples under the "Garden" name: (1) the primary Virginia Garden, originated by Hezekiah Ellis; (2) Warder's Garden Apple, substantially different in size, color, and season, with "Garden Royal" incorrectly listed as synonym by Warder; and (3) Comstock's Garden, of uncertain origin, with distinct characteristics intermediate between the other two. Whether these represent regional variants, name collisions, or pomological confusion is not resolved by the sources.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
USDA Nomenclature (1905)
From W.H. Ragan, Nomenclature of the Apple, USDA Bulletin No. 56
Hansen says this is identical with Kustoe.
View original book sources (2)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Garden.
Originated with Hezekiah Ellis, in Spottsylvania Co., Va.
Fruit small, oblate, yellow, shaded, splashed, and striped with two shades of red nearly over the whole surface, moderately sprinkled with light and gray dots. Stalk long, slender. Cavity medium, thinly russetted. Calyx closed. Segments rather long, partially recurved. Basin abrupt, slightly corrugated. Flesh white, a little stained next the skin, crisp, juicy, mild subacid. Good to very good. November, December.
Warder, in his American Pomology, page 435, describes a Garden Apple, and gives at the same time Garden Royal as a synonym, which latter must be erroneous, as there is a distinct fruit under that name. Warder's description is as follows:
Fruit pretty large, roundish flat, regular. Surface smooth, yellowish green, slightly shaded red, scattered stripes carmine, dots minute black. Basin wide, regular, small, closed. Cavity deep, acute, regular, green. Stem short to medium, sometimes knobby. Core wide, closed or open, regular, clasping the eye. Flesh pale yellow or whitish, tender, fine-grained, juicy, subacid, aromatic, saccharine, agreeable. August to October.
Garden.
Comstock's Garden.
Origin uncertain. Tree moderately vigorous, productive.
Fruit medium size, roundish oblate. Skin whitish, nearly covered with narrow stripes of light and dark red, and thickly sprinkled with conspicuous light dots. Stalk short and slender. Calyx nearly closed. Basin medium, slightly furrowed. Flesh white tinged with red, not very tender, but valuable as a cooking fruit. September, October.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Garden. Small, striped; sub-acid, good. November.