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acreage of oats and barley is very small, and barnyard millet is 

 being tried as a substitute. There has been an increase in the 

 poultry business this season, the use of incubators being more 

 popular than ever before ; and, while the hatch was not good, 

 there are more chickens than usual. The income derived from it 

 is probably more than one-fourth that from the dairy. 



Millbury (Herbert McCracken). — Corn is a very good crop 

 in this vicinity. Rowen is better than usual. The prospect for 

 late potatoes is very poor, and blight has been noticed. Apples 

 poor ; pears good ; peaches, grapes and cranberries fair. Pastur- 

 age is in very good condition, the best for years. Oats and barley 

 are very light crops. The interest in poultry is not increasing 

 among our farmers. 



Hopedale (Delano Patrick). — Indian corn is looking remark- 

 ably well, though it is rather backward. The prospect for rowen 

 is uncommonly good. Late potatoes are but few in the hill and 

 small, though the tops look well ; no blight or rot as yet. The 

 prospect was never so poor for apples, but grapes look well. 

 Pastures are in first-rate condition. The interest in poultry is 

 about the same as usual, and the income derived from it very much 

 less than that from the dairy. 



Uxhridge (Augustus Story). — Corn is two weeks late, but 

 looks well and will yield a fair crop. Rowen is not up to a nor- 

 mal crop. The prospect for late potatoes is fair, and there is but 

 little blight or rot. No apples ; pears, peaches and grapes a good 

 yield. Pasturage is not up to the normal in condition. Oats and 

 barley are good crops. There is no increase in the interest in 

 poultry, and the income from the dairy is a third greater than that 

 from poultry. Our crops are late, and early frosts would be dis- 

 astrous. 



MIDDLESEX COUNTY. 



Marlborough (E. D. Howe) . — Indian corn has caught up with 

 the season. Rowen is 25 per cent above a normal crop. Late 

 potatoes look well now, and blight is not prevalent. Apples 10 

 per cent of a full crop ; pears, 50 per cent ; peaches, 50 per cent ; 

 grapes, 100 per cent. While fed close, pasturage is green and 

 growing. Oats and barley are both very light crops. The interest 

 in poultry remains as usual ; some farmers derive all their income 

 from poultry, others little or none ; perhaps 25 per cent of the 

 income from the dairy would be a fair estimate for all the farmers 

 in town. 



Ashland (Chas. E. Adams). — Indian corn is in good condi- 

 tion. Not much rowen will be cut. The prospect for late potatoes 



