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winter-killed. Tent caterpillars are just appearing. Probably not over 

 one-fourth of our growers spray and it is not increasing. Poor help 

 is fairly plenty, good help very scarce. Wages are $15 to $20 per month 

 with board and from $30 to $35 per month without board There may 

 be a slight increase in the acreage of tobacco. 



Huntington (H. W. Stickney). — The prospect for grass and hay is 

 not very promising. The fruit bloom is about as usual. Insects are 

 doing remarkably little damage so far this season. But few practise 

 spraying in our town Good help is not very plenty. Wages are from 

 $12 to $15 per month with board. The acreage of farm crops will be 

 about as usual. Never was there so much grass land winter-killed ; hay 

 will probably be worth $10 to $12 per ton before the first of July. 



Plainfield (S. W. Clark). — The season is a little backward and 

 rather dry. Grass winter-killed more than usual, fall seeding included. 

 The fruit bloom was rather late and below the average. No insects 

 have appeared as yet. A few practise spraying with success and it may 

 be on the increase. We are flooded with tramps and have a fair supply 

 of good help, though first class American help is scarce and can com- 

 mand almost any price. Wages are from $18 to $22 per month with 

 board and $11 per month for green Polanders. More potatoes have 

 been planted than usual. 



HAMPDEN COUNTY. 



Chester (P. M. Adzima). — The season is about normal, but the nights 

 are too cool. The promise is good for pastures and mowings. The 

 fruit bloom was about normal, but some damage has been done since by 

 a frost. Tent caterpillars are doing some damage. Spraying is prac- 

 tised to some extent and is on the increase. Wages are about as in 

 former years. There are no changes in the acreage of farm crops and 

 no new enterprises in agriculture. 



Tolland (E. M. Moore). — The present season is about ten days later 

 than usual. Pastures were looking badly but have improved since the 

 recent rains and are now quite green. Fall seeding wintered fairly 

 well. The fruit bloom is about an average with former years. Farm 

 help is scarce and but a small proportion would be called good help. 

 Wages are about 75 cents per day with board and $1.25 per day without. 

 There are no particular changes in the acreage of the usual farm crops. 



West Springfield (J N. Bagg). — The season is backward because 

 dry and cool. Grass is thin and light everywhere, though fall seeding 

 wintered well. The fruit bloom is lighter than usual. The tent cater- 

 pillar is the most troublesome insect as yet. Not much spi'aying is 

 done but the practice is increasing. Farm help is scarce but tolerably 

 good ; Poland and Bohemia furnish the larger part Wages are from 

 $16 to $26 per month, the latter without board. There are no marked 

 changes in the acreage of farm crops and no new enterprises. 



Chtcojjee (R. W. Bemis). — The season has been rather dry when 

 compared with most years. The grass is more winter-killed than usual 

 and not as thick as last year. The fruit bloom was quite heavy. Insects 

 are not doing much damage as yet. There is plenty of help with us 

 but it is not as capable as one would wish. Wages are from $15 to $25 

 per month with board and from $1 to $1.50 per day without board. 

 There will be no marked changes in the acreage of farm crops, but 

 there is more garden truck raised than formerly. 



East Lnngmeadow (J L. Davis). — The season has been exceedingly 

 dry so far. Pastm - es and mowings have suffered for want of rain, but 

 not much fall seeding winter-killed. The fruit bloom is about an aver- 

 age. Spraying is not practised in this town to my knowledge. Farm 

 help is scarce and none are obtainable competent to work without con- 



