Toccoa

Apple

Toccoa

Origin/History

Originated at Toccoa Falls, Habersham County, Georgia (Warder, Elliott; Downing gives simply Habersham Co., Ga.). Both Downing (1900) and Elliott list "Muskmelon" as an alternate name for this variety. Elliott cites White's Gardening (White's Gard.) as a source for his description.

Tree

Warder notes that his trees, set six years at time of writing, had not yet fruited, remarking "perhaps not an early bearer."

Fruit

Size: Warder (quoting an earlier Downing edition) and Elliott both describe the fruit as "rather large." The 1900 Downing edition describes it as "medium."

Form: All sources agree on a conical shape. Warder describes the fruit as "conical, irregular or oblong"; the 1900 Downing edition as "roundish conical"; Elliott as "conical irregular."

Stem: Warder and Elliott describe the stem as short. Downing (1900) describes the stalk as slender.

Cavity: Warder describes a deep cavity. Elliott describes an irregular cavity. Downing (1900) does not describe the cavity separately.

Calyx: Warder describes the calyx as partially closed. Downing (1900) and Elliott both describe it as closed.

Basin: Warder describes the basin as rather large. Downing (1900) and Elliott both describe it as small; Downing further describes it as corrugated, Elliott as irregular.

Skin: Ground color is yellow (Downing 1900, Elliott) or whitish yellow (Warder). Overcolor: Warder describes the skin as "considerably shaded with carmine"; Downing (1900) as showing "a light shade of crimson in the sun"; Elliott as "striped with red." Dots: Warder notes a few brown dots; Downing (1900) notes few gray dots.

Flesh/Flavor: Flesh color is described as whitish (Warder), yellowish (Downing 1900), or yellow (Elliott). All sources agree the flesh is tender. Warder describes it as "juicy, tender, pleasant, mild sub-acid"; Downing (1900) as "tender, mild subacid." Elliott diverges significantly, describing the flesh as having "a brisk, rich, Spitzenburgh flavor, moderately juicy." Downing (1900) rates the variety "Good."

Season

Major conflict across sources. Warder (quoting an earlier edition of Downing) gives the season as November to February, indicating a late-keeping winter variety. Downing (1900) gives August and September. Elliott gives "First of August." The August/September season from Downing and Elliott is consistent with a summer apple; the November–February season from Warder's source is irreconcilable with this and may reflect an error in the earlier edition being quoted.

Uses

Not described in source.

Subtypes/Variants

Not described in source.

Other

Not described in source.

Book Sources

Described in 3 period pomological works

View original book sources (3)

Toccoa.

"From Toccoa Falls, Habersham County, Georgia.

"Fruit rather large, conical, irregular or oblong; Skin whitish yellow, considerably shaded with carmine, and sprinkled with a few brown dots; Stem short, inserted in a deep cavity; Calyx partially closed, set in a rather large basin; Flesh whitish, juicy, tender, pleasant, mild sub-acid; November to February." — [Downing.]

Perhaps not an early bearer; my trees, set six years, have not yet fruited.

— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)

Toccoa.

Muskmelon.

Originated in Habersham Co., Ga.

Fruit medium, roundish conical, yellow, with a light shade of crimson in the sun, few gray dots. Stalk slender. Calyx closed. Basin small, corrugated. Flesh yellowish, tender, mild subacid. Good. August, September.

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

ToccoA. Muskmelon. Originated Toccoa Falls, Habersham Co., Georgia, Fruit, rather large, conical irregular ; skin, yellow, striped with red ; stem, short, in an irregular cavity ; calyx, closed in a small, irregular basin ; flesh, yellow, with a brisk, rich, Spitzenburgh flavor, moderately juicy. First of August. (White's Gard.)

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

Muskmelon