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the normal. Pastui-es and mowings are looking well and fall seeding 

 wintered well. The fruit bloom was very heavy on apples and pears 

 and light on peaches; frost did some damage to small fruit. Cut 

 worms are very numerous. Planting is almost completed, except for 

 corn, and much of that has been put in. There is an average supply 

 of farm help and a third of it is good help. Wages range from $25 to 

 $30 per month with board and from $1.75 to $2 per day without board. 

 The acreage of corn will be the largest for years. 



Westborough (Mason Taft). — The season is a very good one to 

 date. Grass is in fairly good condition. The fruit bloom was a favor- 

 able one. Potato bugs are doing some damage. Planting is progress- 

 ing well. Farm help is scarce and none of it good help. Wages aver- 

 age $25 per month with board and $45 without board. More corn 

 than usual will be planted, very little change in the acreage of other 

 crops. 



Auburn (Wm. Gilbert). — The season is a little below the normal. 

 Pastures are in good condition and mowings promise well ; fall seeding 

 wintered well. All fruit trees blossomed full, with no damage from 

 frost. Cut worms are very plentiful this year. Planting is progressing 

 slowly, owing to cold weather. Farm help is scarce, and about half of 

 it good help. Wages average $25 per month with board and $1.75 per 

 day without board. There will be an increase of 50 per cent in the 

 acreage of field corn. 



Milford (John J. O'Sullivan). — The season is two weeks earlier 

 than usual. Pastures and mowings are in good condition and fall 

 seeding wintered fairly well. The fruit bloom was fair, but it has suf- 

 fered somewhat from frosts. The San Jose scale is doing considerable 

 damage. Planting is well advanced. Farm help is scarce and none of 

 it is good help. Wages range from $20 to $30 per month with board 

 and from $1.50 to $2 per day without board. There will be no marked 

 changes in the acreage of the usual farm crops. 



MIDDLESEX COUNTY. 



i/opHnton (W, V. Thompson). — Some few crops are advanced 

 beyond the normal, but as a general thing the season is normal at 

 present. Pastures and mowings promise well with rain and fall seed- 

 ing wintered well. There was a full bloom of all fruits except peaches, 

 with no damage from frost. White grubs and spittle insects are doing 

 some damage. Planting is progressing slowly. Very little farm help 

 is hired here except by the day and that is good help. Wages average 

 20 cents per hour without board. The acreage of potatoes will be less 

 than usual. 



MarZ6orow(7/i (E. D. Howe). — The season started about three 

 weeks ahead of the normal, but has been gradually fallmg back. Pas- 

 tures and m.owings look well and fall seeding wintered well'. The bloom 

 on apples and pears was fair; peaches poor; plums and small fruits 



