18 



the same as the average. Of farm help, 5 per cent can be called 

 good. Wages paid are: with board, per mouth, $30; without board, 

 per day, $1.75. 



New Marlborough (E. W. Ehoades). — The season was early and 

 warm up to the 10th of May; since then it has been cold and dry. 

 The condition of pastures and mowings is 100. Fall seeding win- 

 tered well, and its condition is 110. The bloom of fruits was: 

 apples, 100; pears, 90; peaches, 75; plums, 60; small fruits, 125. 

 Strawberries and peaches suffered from frosts. The insects doing 

 the most damage are tent caterpillars and white grubs. The season 

 seems to be a week or ten days early. Fifty per cent of the plant- 

 ing is already done. Farm help is scarce and 20 per cent is good 

 help. Farm help is paid $25 to $30 per month with board, and $2 

 per day without board. There seems to be a scarcity of birds of 

 all kinds and an abundance of worms and bugs, 



Fkaxklin Col'xtt, 



Monroe (H. B. Phelps). — This is a noiToal season. The condi- 

 tion of pastures and mowing's is normal, and fall seeding wintered 

 well. The latter looks well. The bloom of fruits was: apples, 90; 

 small fniits, 90. Xo damage to fruits by frost. There are lots of 

 nests of the tent caterpillar in all kinds of trees. Fifty per cent 

 of the i^lanting is already done; this is about the same as the 

 average. Help is scarce; 25 per cent is good help. There is not 

 much hired. Not much farming is done, as many have left the 

 farm and gone to the city. More would go if they could sell out. 

 Farms are growing up to brush. 



Ley den (Fraxk E. Foster). — This compares favorably with a 

 normal season. The condition of pastures, mowings and fall seed- 

 ing is 75. The last-named wintered well. The bloom of fruits 

 was: apples, peaches and small fruits, 100; pears, 80; plums, 50. 

 Many apples in low localities suffered from frosts. Tent caterpil- 

 lars are the most injurious insects. Planting is one-half done, which 

 compares favorably with an average year. Help is scarce, and is 

 paid $25 to $30 per month with board and $1.75 to $2 per day with- 

 out board. 



Hauley (C. F. Sears). — The season is twenty days in advance 

 of a normal. The condition of pastures and mowings is 100. Fall 

 seeding wintered well, and its condition is normal. The bloom of 

 fruits was: apples, 50: pears and peaches, 75; plums, 50; straw- 

 ben-ies a failure. Apples, cherries and strawberries were damaged 

 by frosts. The percentage of planting done is 25, which is equal 

 to the average. Farm help is scarce, and only 5 per cent can be 

 called good help. The average wages paid are $23 per month with 

 boai-d and •'^2 poy day without board. 



