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appreciable damage is being done by birds as yet, although all 

 kinds of small birds pick up grass seed that is sown in the spring, 



Iladley {J. G. Cook). — 'The season has been rather di-y and very 

 cold so far this month, but on May 22 and 23 we have had a very 

 good steady rain. Corn and grass will come with a bound if we 

 have warm weather. Pastures and mowings are in 98 per cent 

 condition. Fall seeding wintered fairly well; 95 represents its 

 condition. The bloom of fruits was : apples, 102 ; pears, 98 ; peaches, 

 94; plums, 96; small fruits, 100. Peaches, to some extent, and 

 apples, in a lesser degree, have suffered from frosts. The insects 

 doing the most damage are tent caterpillar, onion maggot, San Jose 

 scale and codling moth. Of planting, 75 per cent has been done; 

 this is ahead of the past two years. Farm help is scarce; about 90 

 per cent is good help, and this is mostly Polanders. Farm help is 

 paid $27 to $30 per month for eight months with board, and with- 

 out board, $1.75 per day. More tobacco is being set and fewer 

 onions than usual. In Northampton there are about 25 acres of 

 onions that are irrigated. Birds are doing more good than harm. 

 The crows are our only enemies, but they have not begun their 

 damage. 



Easthampton (W. C. Clapp). — The season is two weeks ahead, 

 but the cold, dry weather during May has kept vegetation back. The 

 condition of pastures and mowings is 100; that of fall seeding is 80. 

 This wintered well. The bloom of fruits was : apples, 100 ; pears, 50 

 to 60; plums, 50 to 75. Apples and strawberries suffered from 

 frosts. Tent caterpillars, cutworms, and elm-leaf beetles are doing 

 the most damage. Planting is one-half done, which is about the 

 same as common. Farm help is scarce; 80 to 90 per cent is good 

 help. Wages per day without board are $1.75 to $2. 



Prescott (W. F. Wendemuth). — The present season is perhaps 

 a week later than a normal. The condition of pastures and mowings 

 is 92; of fall seeding, 100. The last-named wintered well. The 

 bloom of fruits was: apples, 100; pears, 105; peaches, 95; plums, 

 95; small fruits, 85. On low ground nearly all fruits have been 

 frosted more or less, but most of this town is high. Tent caterpillars 

 are much more numerous than usual, although no other insects are 

 doing damage as yet. About 25 per cent of planting is already done, 

 and this is about as usual. Farm help is scarce because three or 

 four portable saw mills are employing the help in this vicinity. 

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

 day, $1.75. A fruit farm of 500 trees has been started and will be 

 added to yeally. Hawks are taking the usual toll of chickens. 



Greenwich (Walter Glazier). — Agriculturally speaking, the 

 present season is a little earlier than normal. Pastures and mow- 

 ings are in normal condition. Fall seeding came through the winter 



