19 



Wilbraham (F. E. Clark). — The season is fully two weeks 

 late, and has been cold and wet, but favorable for grass and winter 

 grains. Pastures and mowings are looking well. Apples made a 

 50 per cent bloom; pears, cherries, peaches and berries, 100 per 

 cent. As yet no insects have appeared to trouble us. Perhaps 

 half of our orchards are sprayed, and spraying is on the increase. 

 Farm help is scarce, especially good help, not more than one- 

 fourth of the supply being good help such as we had forty or fifty 

 years ago. Wages range from $15 to $25 per month with board 

 and from $25 to $40 per month without board. No marked change 

 in the acreage of farm crops, but several thousand peach trees 

 have been set this spring. 



Monson (A. H. White). — The present season is rather late 

 and quite wet. Feed in pastures is starting well, and grass in 

 mowings is doing well. The fruit bloom is about normal. No 

 insects have appeared as yet. Not very much spraying is done 

 here. Farm help is plenty, and all of it is comparatively good. 

 Wages range fx'om $15 to $20 per month with board and from 

 $1.25 to $1.50 per day without board. There is no change in the 

 acreage of the usual farm crops. 



Palmer (0. P. Allen). — The season is unusually cool and 

 late. Pastures and mowings promise well. Early fruit trees have 

 been very full in bloom, while apple trees have not yet blossomed 

 much. Insects have not been much in evidence as yet. Spraying 

 is practised in only a limited way in this vicinity. Farm help is 

 rather scarce, especially good help. Wages average about $18 per 

 month with board and $1.50 per day without board. There have 

 been no marked changes in the acreage of farm crops. 



WORCESTER COUNTY. 



Brookjield (F. E. Prouty). — The season is wet and somewhat 

 backward. The promise for pastures and mowings is good, and 

 fall seeding wintered quite well. The apple bloom was lighter 

 than last year, that of pears good. No insects doing damage as 

 yet. Spraying is practised to a small extent, but is on the in- 

 crease. Farm help is fairly plenty, and about one-fifth of it is 

 good help. Wages average about $20 per month with board and 

 about $1.50 per day without board. There are no marked changes 

 in the acreage of farm crops. 



New Braintree (C. D. Sage). — The season is about as forward 

 as usual, and gives excellent promise. Pastures and mowings are 

 looking well, and fall seeding wintered fairly. Some orchards 

 show quite a full bloom, others a light one. Tent caterpillars are 



