THE APPLE IN MASSACHUSETTS 



89 



In the southeastern part of the state are scattered areas consisting of a few 

 specialized towns in Plymouth and Bristol counties. Orchards throughout this 

 section vary greatly as to size, care and varieties. The orchards are, more- 

 over, much scattered, some towns having none, while others grow large quan- 

 tities of apples in orchards of considerable size. 



NuJiBER AXD Age of Trees 



A total of nearly a million trees was reported, one-third being not yet in 

 bearing. Forty per cent of the trees are in Middlesex County, which with 

 Franklin and Worcester counties produces about three-fourths of the total 

 crop reported. The ratio of bearing and non-bearing trees varies in differ- 

 ent sections. Only 24 per cent of the trees of Franklin County were reported 

 as non-bearing, while in Worcester County 45 per cent are not yet in bearing. 

 The other important counties fall between the.se extremes. 



The estimated average age of trees reported in Massachusetts is seventeen 

 years. There are thousands of trees from thirty to fifty or more years of age, 

 but the great number of trees recently planted reduces the average to this 

 low figure. According to the reports of the growers, about two-thirds of the 

 trees are under fifteen years of age. The following table brings out the 

 pertinent facts concerning age of trees in 1925. 



however, were old trees. 



The period of heaviest plantings was between 1915 and 1920. Although 

 there has been a decline of 20 per cent from this high period, new plantings 

 are still being made at the rate of 30,000 to 40,0(X» trees each year. 



Fillers 



The number of fillers reported was only 74,000 trees, or about 7 per cent 

 of the total. These were divided equally between bearing and non-bearing, 

 as most of the varieties used for fillers bear at an early age. Fillers are 

 usually cut between the twelfth and fifteenth years, and 95 per cent of those 

 reported are under fifteen years of age. The age grouping is fairly uniform, 

 so that approximately 5,000 trees will be cut each year for the next fifteen 

 years. Several varieties are used as fillers, but about half of those now 

 planted are Wealthy. The Mcintosh ranks second in importance, but it is 

 probable that few of the Mcintosh fillers will be removed, since already 

 Baldwin and Delicious planted as permanents are being cut instead of Mcln- 



