20 



doing some damage. Very little spraying is done. Farm help 

 was never more scarce, and good help is hard to find at any price. 

 Wages range from $15 to $25 per month with board and average 

 about 835 per month without board. More corn and fodder corn 

 have been planted than usual. 



Huhhardston (C. C Colby). — The season is very backward, 

 and very little planting has been done. Grass is looking well, 

 with the promise of an extra crop. Fruit trees are now in full 

 bloom. Very little spraying has been done in former years, but 

 more will be done this season. Farm help is hard to get, especially 

 good help. Wages range from $15 to $26 per month with board 

 and from $1.25 to $1 50 per day without board. Several new silos 

 will be built, and a large acreage of corn planted. 



Temphton (Lucien Gove). — The season opened some ten days 

 later than usual, but conditions are better than for two years. 

 Pastures and mowings are in good condition, and but very little 

 fall seeding winter-killed. Cherries, plums and pears made a full 

 bloom ; apple bloom light for Baldwins, other kinds a fair average. 

 Cut worms and asparagus beetles are doing some damage. A few 

 spray their fruit trees, but the increase, if any, is slight. Farm 

 help is scarce, and 25 per cent is all that can be called good. 

 Wages are from $15 to $25 per month with board and from $1.25 

 to $1.50 per day without board. There is a growing tendency 

 towards raising more forage crops, the hay crop being so uncertain. 



Royalston (C. A. Stimson). — The season is cold, wet and back- 

 ward. The weather has been ideal for pastures and mowings, and 

 fall seeding wintered fairly well. Pears and cherries made a full 

 bloom, apples very light. No insects have appeared as yet. No 

 spraying to speak of is done, and the practice is not increasing. 

 Farm help is scarce, and one-fourth of it is good help. Wages 

 average $18 per month with board and $1 .50 per day without board. 

 There are no marked changes in the acreage of farm crops, and 

 no new enterprises in agriculture. 



Fitchburg (Jabez Fisher). — The temperature has been about 

 normal for the season, and the rainfall much above. The promise 

 for pastures and mowings could not be better. The apple bloom 

 is moderate, no Baldwins on trees that bore last year ; pears the 

 finest in my recollection, other fruits full ; raspberries and black- 

 berries injured by the winter weather. Currant worms are doing 

 some damage, other insects not troublesome as yet. There is no 

 especial change as regards spraying ; last year's full crop and free- 

 dom from insects and fungi will have a tendency to decrease it. 

 The best quality of help is scarce, and that which is plenty is not 

 first class. Wages are from $15 to $25 per month with board 



