21 



Corn planted early is looking well; about half the crop is gTOwn 

 for ensilage. There was about a normal hay crop of good quality. 

 An average amount of forage crops has been put in but they are 

 makmg slow growth. Market-garden crops are nearly ruined by the 

 drought. Apples, pears, plums and gi'apes are looking well. There 

 is but little good feed in the pastures. Rye, oats and barley are 

 scarcely gi-own at all for grain. Perhaps three acres of apple or- 

 chard have been set out. No potatoes have been harvested as yet. 



Northboro (John K. Mills). — Corn is looking fairly well; fully 

 half the crop is grown for ensilage. On low ground hay has been 

 very heavy and very light on the upland; quality good. Forage 

 crops are doing well since the rain. Market-garden crops have 

 been poor, owing to drought, but prices have been good. There will 

 be a good crop of apples and pears; plums, quinces and grapes 

 small crops. Pasturage is in very poor condition. Rye, oats and 

 barley are rather light crops. 



Auburn (Wm. Gilbert). — Black squash bugs are doing much 

 damage. Indian corn is looking well, though there are an unusual 

 number of missing hills; about 75 per cent of the crop is gTOwn 

 for ensilage. Hay is of good quality, but only about a three-fourths 

 crop. More millet than usual has been sown and it jDromises a 

 good crop. Early potatoes are a failure, although the price per 

 bushel is good. Apples, pears and plums are light crops. Pastures 

 have suffered from the hot, dry weather. Oats are only about 90 

 per cent of a crop. No new orchards have been set ovit. 



Mendon (J. J. Nutter). — Potato bugs, squash bugs and elm- 

 leaf beetles are doing damage. On moist ground corn looks very 

 well ; but a small proportion of the crop is grown for ensilage. Hay 

 is about a two-thirds crop of good quality. There is no increase 

 in the amount of forage crops grown. Market-garden crops are 

 not as good as usual; not many potatoes have been harvested. 

 Grapes look well; apples half a crop; peaches and pears look very 

 well. Pasturage is in poor condition. Rye, oats and barley look 

 very well as forage crops. No new apple orchards have been set 

 out. 



MIDDLESEX COUNTY. 

 Hopkinton (W. V. Thompson). — Squash bugs are doing dam- 

 age. Indian corn looks faii'ly well, considering the drought; prac- 

 tically all the crop is grown for ensilage. Hay is about a two-thirds 

 crop of good quality. More forage crops than usual were put in, 

 but they have not germinated because of the drought. Market- 

 garden crops are not growing, just drying up. There will be few 

 apples; pears are a fair crop, also peaches and grapes. Pastures 

 are dry. Oats for forage have been good where sown early. There 

 has not been much increase in the acreage of apple orchards. 



