88 MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 228 



Producing Regions 



Apple growing in Massachusetts centers in several rather distinct sections, 

 although apples are grown for home consumption in every part of the state. 

 These are Franklin County, Connecticut Valley, Nashoba area and Essex 

 County. 



The chief section, lying partly in Middlesex and partly in Worcester coun- 

 ties and known as the Nashoba area, includes the towns of Littleton, Acton, 

 Groton, Harvard, Stow, Sterling, Hudson, Boxborough, Bolton and Westford. 

 Other towns which form a southern continuation of this area are Berlin, 

 Marlborough, Northborough, Westborough and Millbury. Shirley, Lunenburg 

 and Fitchburg form a similar group to the northwest. The topography of 

 this section differs from that in other apple sections of the state, varying 

 from fairly level to very rolling. The outstanding characteristics of this sec- 

 tion are numerous small orchards and high production due to good orchard 

 practice. 



The Franklin County section, in the western part of the state, is included 

 chiefly in the towns of Colrain, Shelbume, Buckland, Charlemont and Ashfield. 

 Few growers here make apple growing their chief business, as orchards are 

 mostly secondary to other farm enterprises. The varieties commonly grown 

 are Baldwin and Mcintosh, with a few Greening and Duchess. This region 

 is hilly, almost mountainous in parts. Most of the orchards are irregular 

 plantings on hillsides, trees being set in blocks in but few orchards. 



Similar in many respects is the section in Essex County in the northeastern 

 part of the state. Varieties grown here are chiefly Baldwin, with some Mcin- 

 tosh and small numbers of other kinds. In both Essex and Franklin counties 

 most of the orchards are old and production is declining except in a few 

 towns. It is doubtful if recent plantings in either of these sections have been 

 sufficient to offset the dying of old trees. 



The section in Hampden and Hampshire counties is composed of several 

 separate areas lying on the hills along the Connecticut Valley. The towns of 

 Cummington, Williamsburg, Easthampton and Granville form that portion 

 lying west of the Connecticut River, while Amherst, Belchertown, Hampden 

 and Wilbraham are included in the section east of the river. 



CHART 2. Non-beaxing and Bearing Trees, by Counties, 1925 



BADN^TABLLi 

 BERK5H!eL 

 BBI5T0L 

 PLYMOUTH 



NOQFOLK 



HAMPDEN 



E.55ELX 



HAMPSHIRE 



FQANKLIN 



W0DCE5TEB 



MIDDLESEX 



BE1AI21N6 

 NONBEA&INQ 



CZ3 





150 too 



THOUSANDS 



i50 



300 



.>50 



