11 



The Season. 



The season opened warm, with seasonable rains, and the 

 usual amount of planting seems to have been done up to about 

 the 10th of May. Frosts on this date are reported from sev- 

 eral sections, particularly from Hampden County. Subse- 

 quently the weather has been cold and dry. Twenty-two 

 correspondents report that the season was early at the start, 

 but later, cold and backward. Of a total of 150 reporting, 

 24, or 16 per cent, declare the season to be early; 57, or 38 

 per cent, normal ; 69, or 46 per cent, late. Rains and warmer 

 weather at time of going to press improve the prospect for a 

 good growing season over that derived from returns of 

 May 24. 



Pastures and Mowings. 



The condition of pastures and mowings is: Hampshire, 

 93.9; Franklin, 92.9; Plymouth, 91.7; Bristol, 90; Dukes, 

 90; Essex, 89.5; Middlesex, 88.8; Hampden, 88.2; :N'orfolk, 

 86.9; Worcester, 86.1; Barnstable, 83.9; Berkshire, 83; 

 IsTantucket, 75 ; the State, 88.3. The season at the start 

 augured well for grasslands, but the lack of precipitation in 

 May gave it a setback which only occasional rains and warm 

 weather can oifset. 



Fall Seeding. 



Fall seeding wintered well in most cases, although there 

 are scattering reports to the contrary. The average condition 

 on May 24 was: Hampshire, 99.6; Plymouth, 96.2; Frank- 

 lin, 94.8; Barnstable, 93.9; Bristol, 93.3; Essex, 92.2; Is^r- 

 folk, 91.2 ; Middlesex, 90 ; Hampden, 89.6 ; Worcester, 88.3 ; 

 Berkshire, 85.4; Dukes and jSTantucket, no report; the 

 State, 91.7. 



Feuit Bloom. 



All fruits except plums bloomed well; these showed a 

 markedly poor bloom in Berkshire, Middlesex and ISTorfolk 

 counties. Small fruits showed the best bloom for the State. 

 Frosts injured all fruits in some sections of the State, more 

 noticeably in the valleys, and damage of greater or less de- 

 gree is reported from all parts excepting Dukes and ISTan- 



