1800.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 4. xi 



another year. Consequently, on the opening of the past season, 

 arrangements were made for the continuation of said work, and it 

 was decided to enlarge its scope and usefulness by increasing the 

 size of the bulletins to twenty-four pages ; by giving more atten- 

 tion to the weather, for which purpose a synopsis of the monthly 

 reports of the Meteorological Observatory of the Hatch Experi- 

 ment Station at Amherst were to be added ; by making the notes 

 of correspondents fuller ; and by devoting the last three or four 

 pages of each bulletin to extracts upon various agricultural sub- 

 jects. After the first two bulletins, it was found necessary to 

 increase the size of the edition to twelve hundred copies. The 

 following synopses will illustrate the character of the work : — 



Synopsis of Bulletin A'o. 1. — Crop Report for May. 

 The first half of the month was warm and dry. Rain set in on 

 the morning of the 20th, and fell almost every day during the 

 remainder of the month. Slight frosts were reported as occurring 

 on the mornings of the 27th, 28th, and 29th, but scarcely any 

 damage was done. In the circular sent to correspondents about 

 the 20th of the month, the following questions were asked : 

 "1. How much earlier is this season than the last? 2. What 

 msects are doing the most damage in your vicinity ? 3. Is good 

 help plenty, and at what cost? 4. What is the outlook in your 

 section ? " About one hundred returns were received, showing that 

 the season opened favorably for the farmer, and that it averaged 

 two weeks earlier than last, although the cold wet weather the last 

 of the month tended to overcome the unusual earliness of the 

 season. The tent-caterpillar {CUsiocampa Americana) was re- 

 ported as being unusually prevalent in many sections, and a short 

 sketch from Mrs. Mary Treat's work on " Injurious Insects of the 

 Farm and Garden " was printed, to describe its work and to 

 suggest methods of extermination. The cranberry-vine worms, 

 cut worms, Colorado potato beetles, squash bugs, cabbage maggots, 

 currant worms, canker worms, onion maggots, asparagus beetles 

 and curculios were also reported as doing more or less damage in 

 localities where they would naturally be found. Good farm help 

 appeared to be rather scarce in many localities, and commanded, 

 on an average, from twenty to twenty-two dollars per month and 

 board. The general outlook was reported as good. There was 

 promise of a large hay crop, although dry weather the fore part 

 of the month checked the growth of grass in some places. How- 

 ever, this dry weather was very favorable for planting, and seeds 

 came up well. Wet, cold weather the last of the month, while it 

 greatly helped grass, had a bad effect on corn. 



