24 



some damage. Planting is nearly completed. Farm help is scarce and 

 about 20 per cent of it good help. Wages average $24 per month 

 with board and $1.75 per day without board. More corn and less 

 potatoes will be raised than usual. Farmers are spraying fruit trees 

 more than usually. 



Topsfield (B. P. Pike). — The season is about an average one. 

 Pastures and mowings promise fairly well and fall seeding wintered 

 well. Baldwin apples made a light bloom; pears, peaches and plums 

 light. Brown-tail moths are very plentiful. Planting progressing very 

 well. Farm help is scarce and very little of it first class. Wages aver- 

 age $25 per month with board and $40 per month without board. 

 More corn will be put in than usual. Apples generally bloomed fairly 

 full. 



Hcunilton (George R. Dodge). — The season appears to be about 

 normal. Fall seeding in most cases wintered well; pastures are fair, 

 but the hay crop seems likely to be light. All fruits except peaches 

 bloomed full, also small fruits; early blossoming strawberries suffered 

 from frost. Tent caterpillars and cut worms are in evidence. Plant- 

 ing is pretty well along, except field corn, which will be completed this 

 week. Farm help is scarce and not first class. Farm help is all hired 

 by the day, without board, at from $1.50 to $1.75. About the usual 

 acreage of farm crops will be put in. 



Danvers (Charles H. Preston). — The season is earlier than usual 

 by about a week. Pastures and mowings promise fairly well and fall 

 seeding wintered well. The fruit bloom was good, except on peaches. 

 Gypsy and brown-tail moths have appeared. Planting is progressing 

 well. Farm help is scarce and but a small proportion of it good help. 

 Wages average $25 per month with board and $43 without board. 

 There will be no marked changes in the acreage of the usual farm 

 crops. 



NORFOLK COUNTY. 



Cohasset (Ellery C. Bates). — The season is a normal one. Pas- 

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

 The fruit bloom was normal, with no damage from frosts. No insects 

 are doing damage at present. Planting is progressing well. Farm 

 help is scarce and about half of it good help. Wages range from $20 

 to $25 per month with board and from $1.50 to $1.75 per day without 

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

 farm crops. 



^ando/y;//. (RuFUS A. Thayer). — The season is a good average 

 one. Pastures and mowings are in very good condition and fall seeding 

 wintered well. Apples, pears and small fruits bloomed well; peaches 

 poor; no frost. Gypsy moths are doing some damage. Planting pro- 

 gressing very rapidly. Farm help is scarce and very little of it is good 

 help. Wages range from $25 per month with board to $35 without 

 board and from $1.50 to $2 per day without board. Peach trees 

 winterkilled badly. 



