15 



full, no pear oi* plum bloom and peach trees are nearly all dead. Insects 

 are doing no damage as yet. Spraying is not practised in this vicinity. 

 Farm help is scarce and three-fourths of the supply good help. Wages 

 are from $15 to $18 per month with board and from $1.25 to $1.50 per 

 clay without board. There is an increase in the acreage of onions and 

 there will also be one in that of tobacco. 



Wendell (N. D Plumb). — The season is somewhat backward and the 

 weather very cold and dry. Fall seeding looks well, but pastures and 

 mowings need rain. Only about one-fourth of our fruit trees are in 

 bloom. No insects have appeared as yet. Little spraying is dope here. 

 Good help is scarce, as always, perhaps one-fifth of our help is good. 

 Wages are from $17 to $20 per month with board and $1.50 per day 

 without board. There are no new enterprises in agriculture, but the 

 acreage of corn is larger than for many years. 



New Salem (Daniel Ballard). — The season is a little below the 

 normal at the present time. Seeding wintered fairly well ; pastures and 

 all grass lands need rain. Apple bloom medium, pear bloom^ light. 

 Tent caterpillars are doing some damage. Very little attention is paid 

 to spraying as yet but it is slowly on the increase. Help is rather scarce 

 but mostly good. Wages range from $12 to $20 per month with board 

 and from $1 to $1.50 per day without board There will be few changes 

 in the farming of this vicinity. Many fields are becoming quite dry and 

 rain is much needed. 



HAMPSHIRE COUNTY. 



Greenwich (Wm. S. Douglas). — The pi-esent season is now very 

 late. Pastures and mowings promise well and fall seeding is in good 

 condition The fruit bloom is much below the normal. Tent cater- 

 pillars are doing some damage. Spraying is not practised at all in this 

 locality Farm help is not very plenty and good help forms but a small 

 proportion. There will be but few changes in the acreage of farm crops 

 and no new enterprises in agriculture. 



Pelham (J. L. Brewer). —The season is a week later than usual. 

 Grass winter-killed badly on wet, level land The fruit bloom was 

 about normal except that there were no peach blossoms and many peach 

 trees are dead. Tent caterpillars and currant worms are doing some 

 damage. Insecticides are used but very little. Farm help is plenty and 

 about 90 per cent of it good. Wages are from $ 1 to $1.25 per day and 

 dinner. There are no marked changes in the acreage of farm crops. 



Hadley (H. C. Russell). — The season has been cold and dry and 

 planting is later than usual. Grass in pastures is thin and the hay crop 

 will be light if the dry weather continues. Apples did not make a very 

 full bloom and other fruit trees blossomed poorly. No insects have 

 appeared as yet. Spraying is practised to some extent and is on the 

 increase. Farm help is not quite as plenty as usual. Wages are from 

 $16 to $18 per month with board and $1.25 per day without board. 

 There is not much change in the acreage of the usual farm crops. 



Northampton (D. A. Horton) — The season is as forward as last 

 year. Pastures are in fair condition, mowings look badly, fall seeding 

 winter-killed a good deal. All fruit trees have blossomed full. No 

 insects are doing damage as yet. Spraying is very little practised in 

 this section. Good help seems to be scarce, not over one-third of our 

 farm help being good. Wages range from $U to $20 per month with 

 board and about $30 per month without board. There will be a large 

 acreage of tobacco, onions and corn and a light one of potatoes. 



Williamsburg (F. C. Richards). — The season is backward as both 

 weather and ground are too cold for plant growth. Pasturage is in good 

 condition, mowings 25 per cent off. Apples 50 per cent of a full bloom, 

 cherries 100, pears 50, plums 60, peaches 10, many peach trees badly 



