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nor very good. Wages average $20 per month, with board, and 11.50 

 per day, without board. More corn than usual is being planted. 



Goshen (Geo. L. Barrus). — The season is normal, except j that 

 farm work is about two weeks late. Pastures and mowings are well 

 started and fall seeding wintered fairly well. The fruit bloom is above 

 the average and no frosts. Tent caterpillars are doing the most damage 

 of any insect at present. Planting is going ahead rapidly now. There 

 is no loose farm help, good or bad. Wages average S25 per month, 

 with board, and $1.75 per day, without board. There are no changes 

 in the acreage of farm crops. 



HAMPDEN COUNTY. 



Blandford (Ends W. Boise) . — The warm weather has brought for- 

 ward the season and at present it is fully normal. Lack of rain causes 

 grass and pastures to be short; fall seeding is looking fairly well. All 

 fruits have bloomed full, with no frost damage. Tent caterpillars are 

 more plenty than usual. Planting is well along. Farm help is scarce 

 and not over one-fourth good help. Wages average from^$20 to $25 

 per month, with board, and $1.75 to $2 per day, without board._^ More 

 corn for grain will be planted than usual and alfalfa is receiving some 

 attention. 



Russell (E. D, Parks). — The season is further advanced than 

 normal, but the drought has been severe. Pastures and mowings are 

 looking well on wet ground, but otherwise are very dry. The fruit 

 bloom was very favorable, with no frosts to do injury as yet. Tent 

 caterpillars and currant worms are doing some damage, also elm leaf 

 beetles. Planting is mostly completed. There is plenty of poor help. 

 Wages range from $20 to $25 per month, with board, and from $1.75 

 to $2 per day, without board. There is no great change in the acreage 

 of farm crops, but there is a good deal of interest in setting out fruit 

 trees, especially apples. 



West Springfield (T. A. Rogers). — Grass and planting are late and 

 it has been very dry. Fall seeding wintered well. Apples and peaches 

 made a full bloom; pears and plums not full; berries not in bloom as 

 yet. There is some insect cutting the leaves from the maples. But 

 little planting has been done as yet. The supply of farm help is about 

 as in the past few years. Wages range from $20 to $30 per month, 

 with board, and from 15 to 20 cents an hour, without board. There 

 are no changes in the acreage of farm crops. 



Agawam (J. G. Burt). — The season is not quite up to the normal. 

 Pastures and mowings are short and dry, but fall seeding wintered 

 well. There was a full bloom of all fruits, and no damage from frosts. 

 No insects have appeared as yet. Planting is progressing slowly. 

 Farm help is scarce and not over half of it good help. Wages average 

 $28 to $30 per month, with board, and $1.75 per day, without board. 



