53 



watering, and tomato leaves are curling. To-day's shower relieved 

 the situation somewhat. 



GuSTAVE Thommen, BUlerica (Middlesex County). — Some aspara- 

 gus beetle, but nothing done to exterminate it. Crop of string 

 beans, 50, — too dry. Percentage of germination of late-sown beets, 

 75; the crop is doing well where watered. Acreage of late cabbage, 

 normal ; condition, 80. Cauliflower crop condition, 60, — doing 

 well where thoroughly cultivated. Many fields of sweet corn have 

 been ruined by the dry weather; condition, 35. Green jDeas were a 

 failure, as they dried up; prices range from $2 to $3 per bushel. 

 Tomato crop prospect, 75; plants are fruiting well, but no fn;it has 

 been gathered. No irrigation except in gardens, where it paid well. 

 The Skinner system is 0. K. I am using it for carnations in the 

 field and it pays big. Where crops have been attended to in a slip- 

 shod manner, the grower will harvest nothing; some growers are dry 

 mulching, and report crops " ripping good." 



J. Newton Frost, Bedford (Middlesex County). — Late aspara- 

 gus beetle is present, and plants are being sprayed with arsenate 

 of lead at the rate of 25 pounds to 400 gallons of water. Shell 

 bean crop, 100. The acreage of late cabbage is 75 per cent as much 

 as in 1912; condition, good. Dry weather is affecting sweet corn, 

 and damage by partridges has been done to the extent of $100. 

 Green peas and tomatoes are grown for home use only. 



H. M. Howard, Newton (Middlesex County). — String bean crop, 

 50 per cent of normal. Beets seU for 2V2 cents per bunch. Late 

 beet acreage, 90; percentage germination, 90. Late cabbage acreage, 

 100 as compared with both normal and that of 1912; condition, 

 80. Late carrot acreage, 75. Cauliflower crop condition, 100. Late 

 celery acreage, 100 as compared with both normal and that of 1912 ; 

 condition, 90. Dry weather has shortened the sweet corn crop to 

 70. Green pea crop yield, 75; price per bushel, $2.50; 1912, $2. 

 Tomato crop prospect, 90; very little fruit has been gathered, — a 

 few bushels from earliest clustei*s. Lettuce, beets, celery, beans and 

 tomatoes, in order named, have received the largest amounts of 

 water by irrigation. The application has paid well. Drainage by 

 open ditches is most common where large amounts of water have 

 to be moved from grasslands. 



Ernest K. Ballard, Lexington (Middlesex County). — String 

 bean crop, 65. Beets sell for 2 to 2^/2 cents per bunch or $1 per 

 bushel. Late beet aei'eage, 110; percentage germination, 80; it is 

 too dry. Late cabbage acreage, 90; condition, 75. Late carrot 

 acreage, 85; seeds did not come up well and some burnt off. Late 

 celery acreage, 90 as compared with both normal and that of 1912; 

 condition, 80. Sweet corn is feeling the effects of the dry weather; 

 condition, 75. The onion crop gi'owth is 90 per cent of normal 

 for the date; condition, 90. Tomato crop prospect, 80; not fruiting 



