19 



70. Farmers' gardens are poor on account of drought; private 

 gardens are SO. Market-garden crops now harvested have yielded 

 75, and brought 100 per cent prices. Fruit prospect: apples, 40; 

 pears and grapes, 50. Condition of pasturage, 25. Forage crop 

 condition: rye, 50; oats, 80; barley, 40. Grain crop condition: oats, 

 80; barley, 50. Rye has been harvested, giving a 60 per cent crop. 

 About 100 apple trees have been set. This section is very badly 

 in need of rain. Meadows are drying up and pastures are poor; 

 potatoes have begun to gb back, and springs are dry, while root 

 crops, such as mangels and carrots, are growing very slowly. 



Becket (William H. Snov^). — Potato beetles are the most 

 troublesome insects. Condition of corn, 90; 95 per cent grown 

 for ensilage. Grass lands yielded a 70 per cent croj? of 95 per 

 cent quality. Potatoes are late and are now drying up. No market- 

 garden crojjs harvested. Fruit crop prospect: apples, 75; i^ears, 

 60; plums, 50; cranberries, 40. Condition of pasturage, 80. Forage 

 crop condition: rye, 85; oats, 80. Fifty acres of new apple 

 orchards set in town during 1912 and 1913. The early wet spring, 

 frosts and the succeeding long spell without rain are the causes 

 of the light crops of hay, vegetables and fruit. 



New Marlborough (E. W. Rhoades). — The most injurious in- 

 sects are potato beetles, white grubs and apple-tree borers. Con- 

 dition of Indian corn, 75; one-half the crop grown for ensilage. 

 The hay crop shows a 60 per cent yield of 100 per cent quality. 

 Condition of potatoes, 40; other market-garden crops, 60. Fruit 

 prospect: apples, 30; pears, 90; peaches, 25; plums, 50; gi-apes, 

 100, Condition of pasturage, 80. Condition of oats as a forage 

 crop, 60. Grain crop condition: rye, 75; oats, 60. 



Franklin County. 



Bowe (Henry D. Wright). — Potato beetles are causing the most 

 trouble. Indian corn condition, 50; 75 per cent of the crop grown 

 for ensilage. Yield of hay, 75; its quality is normal. Condition of 

 potatoes, 80. Apple i^rospect, 50. Condition of pasturage, 65. Oats 

 as a forage crop is in 75 per cent condition. Ten acres of new 

 apple orchards have been set in town during 1912 and 1913. 



Colrain (W. H. Davenport). — Condition of Indian com, 75; 50 

 per cent of the crop grown for ensilage. The hay crop is not 

 over 60 per cent of a normal, but of 100 per cent quality. Con- 

 dition of potatoes and ether market-garden crops, 60; those har- 

 vested have yielded very poorly, — not over 40 per cent. Fruit 

 prospect: apples, 50; pears, 40. Condition of pastures. 60, 

 Weather is very cold and dry. Gardens and forage crops sown 

 this spring are nearly a total failure. 



Gill (F. F, Stoughton), — Not verv much insect damaee now. 



