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few small nests of tent caterpillars. Planting is progressing fairly, 

 though much remains to be done. Farm help is very scarce, and not 

 one-fourth of it good help. Wages average 11.50 per day, without 

 board, S18 per month, with board, and $35 per month, without board. 

 The acreage of potatoes is very much decreased. Yesterday we had 

 the first rain to do much good for many weeks. 



Fitchburg (Dr. Jabez Fisher) . — Vegetation is early and every- 

 thing looks ready if rain comes. The winter was favorable to pastures 

 and mowings, but rain is imperatively needed. There was a full 

 bloom of pears and plums, less of apples. Cut worms are doing some 

 damage. Planting is waiting for rain. Farm help is scarce, with a 

 small proportion of it good help. Wages average $20 per month, 

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

 changes in the acreage of farm crops. 



Sterling (Henry S. Sawyer). — The season is several days late on 

 account of the dry season; no rain for several weeks. Grass has not 

 started very much in pastures and mowings; fall seeding wintered 

 fairly well. There was very good bloom of all fruits in this locality. 

 Brown-tail moths, tent caterpillars and currant worms are doing dam- 

 age. But little planting has been done, on account of dry weather. 

 Good farm help is very scarce. Wages average $25 per month, with 

 board, and $1.80 per day, without board. More corn will be raised 

 than usual. 



Bolton (H. F. Haynes). — The season is dry. Pastures and mowings 

 are in poor condition, and fall seeding did not winter well. The bloom 

 of fruit trees was good, with no damage from frost. No insects are 

 doing damage as yet. Planting is progressing slowly. Farm help 

 is scarce. Wages range from $20 to $25 per month, with board, and 

 average $40, without board. There are no marked changes in the 

 acreage of the usual farm crops. 



Northborough (John K. Mills). — The season is a little ahead of 

 last year. It has been so dry that mowings and pastures have been 

 poor; fall seeding came through the winter all right. There has 

 been a full bloom of all fruit trees. Cut worms, brown-tail moths 

 and tent caterpillars are doing damage. Crops are being planted 

 with a rush. There is but little good help. Wages average $25 per 

 month, with board, and $2 per day of 9 hours, without board. There 

 will be a full acreage of corn and potatoes. There will be quite an 

 increase in the acreage set to asparagus. 



Leicester (H. H. Kingsbury). — At this date everything seems to 

 be in normal condition, agriculturally speaking. Grass has made a 

 great growth in the past ten days, and fall seeding wintered well. The 

 bloom of all kinds of fruits and berries has been very full, with no 

 damage from frost. The tent caterpillar is the most numerous of any 

 insect in this section. The situation in regard to farm help is much 

 as it has been for five years past. The wages paid may be_ rather 



