346 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



Forest Report of Town op Bolton. 



Bolton, Mass., November, 1913. 



Bolton lies along the eastern border of Worcester County just north- 

 east from the city of Clinton. The Boston & Maine Railroad cuts it at 

 the southeastern and southwestern corners, and its best markets, outside 

 of Clinton and Hudson, are Worcester, 15 miles, and Boston, 30 miles, 

 distant. The chief industries are dairy and fruit farming. The town is 

 essentially a farming community, there being but three small villages. 

 The lack of trolley lines is compensated by good roads leading from the 

 town to its markets. 



Topography. 



The topography is irregular with hills and valleys. The general trend 

 is north and south, with the ridges frequently broken by brooks and gul- 

 lies. Highest hills are 600 feet. 



Soils. 

 I.ight sandy soil, generally fertile and fairly deep, having gravel, and 

 some clay subsoil. Black soil in the swamps and on some farms where 

 draining has been done. South of Bolton village, on the west side of the 

 Berlin road, are about 75 acres of moist land, difficult of drainage but 

 bearing good hay. Some parts of the maple swamp on the opposite side 

 of the road could be cleared and drained for agriculture. On the hills the 

 soil is good, quite free from rocks, and raises apples and peaches. 



Woodland. 



Proportion of wooded to cleared land one-third to two-thirds, ^ accord- 

 ing to the report of the assessors to the commission on taxation of waste 

 and forest lands. The general appearance of the country would make 

 this estimate seem too low for forest land. A considerable amount of 

 good high land has been recently cleared of birch and sprouts for fruit 

 growing. 



General condition of forest, good, especially in the pine, oak and hard- 

 wood types. There is a good layer of humus. Principal species are pine, 

 chestnut and oak, in clear and mixed stands; ash and hickory are common 

 in the mixture, and as roadside trees. Suppressed pine is common in the 

 chestnut and oak types. 



Lumber and Woodworking Industries. 

 Saw Mills. 

 1. Century Mill, W. J. Webber, proprietor, Bolton, Mass., cuts chest- 

 nut and pine; 150 M during the last two years, mostly for box boards 

 which are sent to Hudson, Mass. Stumpage, SIO to S14 per M. Box 



' See figures in table compiled from map. 



