21 



pei* cent good, 50 per cent practically worthless. Wages are $150 per 

 clay without board and from $16 to $20 per month with board. There 

 is a general feeling of discouragement among the more enterprising 

 and formerly prosperous farmers and a marked increase of farm mort- 

 gages. 



Ipswich (O. C. Smith). — The season has been too dry and the nights 

 too cold for favorable results The hay crop will be small and pastures 

 grow but slowly and are poor; fall seeding wintei'-killed somewhat. 

 Winter apples showed a one-third bloom, pears full, cherries bloom and 

 set full, early apples about half a bloom. Tent caterpillars are doing 

 some damage. The practice of spraying is generally increasing. Good 

 help is scai'ce and other help none too plenty. Wages are $18 to $25 

 per month with board and $1.50 to $2 per day without board. The acre- 

 age of potatoes has increased a little, other crops about as usual. 



Topsfield (B. P. Pike). — The season is about a normal one. Fall 

 seeding wintered well. Pastures and mowings would be all right with 

 rain, but it is very dry now. Apples had a very short bloom ; plums, 

 cherries and pears fair ; not many peaches. No insects have appeared 

 as yet. There being a light apple bloom and no canker worms there 

 will not be much sjn'aying. Good help is scarce but poor help is plenty 

 enough. Wages are from $18 to $22 per month for good help with 

 board and $1.50 jjer clay without board. There are no marked changes 

 in the acreage of farm crops. 



NORFOLK COUNTY. 



Millis (E. F. Richardson). — The season is dry and late. Pastures 

 and mowings promise to be very short unless we have plenty of moist- 

 ure soon ; some of the late fall seeding winter-killed. There was a fair 

 fruit bloom. Asparagus beetles and tent caterpillars are doing some 

 damage. Our farmers spray only against the canker worm. Farm help 

 is plenty, but good help is scai'ce Wages are about $18 to $20 per 

 month with board and about $1.25 per day without board. There will 

 be more land in potatoes this year and less in corn than usual. 



Franklin (C. M. Allen). — The season is an average one. Pastures 

 and mowings do not promise as well as last year. Fall seeding wintered 

 fairly well. Apples made a three-fourths bloom, peaches and pears 

 very light. Very few insects have appeared as yet. Very little spray- 

 ing clone hereabouts. There is help enough but not over 10 per cent of 

 it is good help. Wages are $18 per month with board and $1.50 per day 

 without board. There are no marked changes in the acreage of the 

 usual farm crops. 



Norfolk (Geo. E. Holbrook). — The season has been too cold and dry 

 so far. Grass is not as good as last year at this date. Scarcely any 

 Baldwin apples have blossomed ; light bloom on greening, russet and 

 early apples ; small fruits made a good bloom except peaches. Tent 

 caterpillars are injurious to a small extent. Spraying is not on the in- 

 crease. Good help is scarce and about half of the help is poor Wages 

 range from $16 to $20 per month with board and from $30 to $45 per 

 month without board. There will be a smaller acreage of corn and a 

 larger one of potatoes than usual on account of the high prices of the 

 latter. 



Canton (E. V. Kinsley). — Crops are looking well and the season is 

 as far advanced as usual. Pastures need rain now, but all well-kept 

 mowings are looking finely ; fall seeding is all right. Pears made a full 

 bloom, winter apples very thin, no peaches. Insects are doing no dam- 

 age as yet. There is some spraying, but not much, and it is increasing 

 somewhat. Help is plenty, but not over 12 per cent is good help. 

 Wages are from $15 to $25 per month with board and about $1.50 per 

 day without board. There is no material change in the acreage of the 

 usual crops, but there is an increase in the production of milk and gar- 

 den truck. 



