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Stoneham (J. E. Wiley). — The season is a little backward. Pas- 

 tures and mowings are in good condition and fall seeding wintered well. 

 The bloom on apples and pears was heavy, with no injury from frost. 

 No insects are doing damage as yet. Planting is progressing well. 

 There is not enough farm help employed to estimate as to supply and 

 wages. There will be no marked changes in the acreage of the usual 

 farm crops. 



Weston (Henry L. Brown). — The season has been very dry and 

 crops are not up to the normal. Pastures and mowings started very 

 early, but are not making much growth now. There was a full bloom 

 on apples and pears; that on peaches and plums was killed by frost. 

 The San Jose scale, gypsy and brown-tail moths are all doing a good 

 deal of damage, and cut worms are unusually plenty. Planting is 

 progressing as usual. Good help is scarce. Wages average $25 per 

 month with board and range from |40 to $50 per month without 

 board. Indian corn is not much grown and I think the acreage of 

 potatoes will be decreased. 



iVeicton (G. L. Marcy). — Spring opened early, but lacks warm 

 days. Pastures and mowings promise well. The fruit bloom was 

 good, with no damage from frosts. No insects are doing more than the 

 ordinary amount of damage. Planting is progressing well. Farm help 

 is scarce and there is none that can be called A No. 1. There are no 

 marked changes in the acreage of farm crops. 



ESSEX COUNTY. 



Merrimac (S. B. Sargent). — The season started very early, but 

 at present is not much ahead of the normal. Fall seeding wintered 

 well; mowings look well; pastures amount to very little. There was a 

 full bloom on apples, pears and plums ; no peaches. Tent caterpillars 

 are doing some damage. Planting is nearly completed, except corn. 

 Extra help is not very plenty, but regular help is mostly fairly good. 

 Wages average $25 to $28 per month with board and $35 per month 

 without board; day help is from $1.50 to $2. There will be about the 

 usual acreage of farm crops. 



Groveland (A. S. Longfellow). — The season is a week or ten days 

 ahead of the normal. Grass started well, but needs soaking rains; fall 

 seeding wintered well. There was a good fruit bloom, with no damage 

 from frost. There are many tent caterpillars, brown-tail and gypsy 

 moths. Planting is well along. Help is reasonably plenty and perhaps 

 half can be called good. Wages average $20 per month with board 

 and $1.50 per day without board. Rather more corn will be planted 

 than in previous years. 



Andover (Milo H. Gould). — The season is backward except for 

 grass. Pastures and mowings are in good condition and fall seeding 

 wintered well. The fruit bloom was good, but frost did damage in 

 some places. Brown-tail, gypsy moths and tent caterpillars are doing 



