20 



"Wages paid are: with board, per month, $25 to $30; without board, 

 per month, $40 to $45. There are probably a few acres less onions 

 on account of low prices last winter. A good many acres will be 

 abandoned on account of seed not germinating well. There will be 

 no tent tobacco in town this year. 



Hampshire County. 



Cummingion (A. A. Shaw). — The season is a trifle backward, 

 but we are having an abundant rainfall. The condition of pastures 

 and mowings is 100. Fall seeding did not winter well ; its condition 

 is 75. The bloom of fruits was: apples, peaches and plums, 100; 

 pears, 75; small fruits, 90. All fruits have suffered from frosts. 

 Peaches, chemes and small fruits were killed. The apple crop is 

 uncertain. Caterpillars are the only damaging insects at jiresent, 

 although some scale has been discovered. Twenty-five per cent of 

 the planting has been done ; more is usually done by this time. Farm 

 help is scarce, and not more than 25 per cent can be called good 

 help. The wages paid average $25 to $30 per month with board; 

 day labor is paid 25 cents per hour. There will be a slight increase 

 in the acreage of potatoes. Several hundred young apple trees have 

 been set. 



Middle field (J. T. Bryan). — The season is earlier than an 

 average. Pastures and mowings and fall seeding are in normal con- 

 dition. The last-named wintered well. The bloom of f raits was : 

 apples and pears, 75; plums and small fruits, 100. No serious in- 

 jui-y has been done fruit. Small damage is being done by tent cater- 

 pillars. Planting is one-half done; this is about the average. Help 

 is scarce, and of that available, only about 50 per cent may be called 

 good. Help is paid $25 per month with board and $1.75 and $2 

 per day without board. Corn will show an increase in acreage. 

 Forage crops will be increased in acreage. 



Chesterfield (Horatio Bisbee). — The spring came forward 

 rapidly in late April and early May, but the cold weather of the 

 past two weeks has retarded growth very much. We have had no 

 rain for some time previous to May 23. The condition of pastures 

 and mowings is 100. Fall seeding did not winter Avell; its condition 

 is 50. The bloom of fruits was: apples, pears and small fruits, 

 100. The apple bloom was veiy full, but the frost has done it 

 much damage, and all kinds of berries have suffered, if they have 

 not been destroyed. Forty per cent of the planting has been 

 done; this compares fairly well with an average year. Farm help 

 is scarce; 25 per cent is good help. Labor unions are spoiling 

 the quality of help for the farm. The average wages paid are $20 

 to $25, with board, per month, and $1.50 to $1.75, without board, 

 per day. There will be an increase in the acreage of potatoes. No 



