16 



acreage of early potatoes, but they are suffering from the drought. 

 Garden crops are looking fairly well. The price of dairy products 

 is keeping up well, with increased production ; cows are lower than 

 for some years. Pastures are short, but stock is doing well. Ber- 

 ries will be abundant, but the outlook for fruit is not encouraging. 



HAMPDEN COUNTY. 



Tolland (E. M. Moore) . — Potato bugs are doing considerable 

 damage. Indian corn is very backward, on accountof dry weather ; 

 about the usual acreage planted. A few have commenced haying, 

 with the prospect of getting from one-half to two-thirds the usual 

 crop. There is no marked change in the acreage of early potatoes, 

 but they are ten days later than usual. There is not much market- 

 gardening done in this vicinity. Feed is short and pastures pretty 

 thoroughly dried up. 



Russell (E. D. Parks). — Tent caterpillars and currant worms 

 are doing some damage. Indian corn is backward, with acreage 

 about as usual. Haying is just commencing, with the prospect 

 of half a crop. The acreage of early potatoes is the same as usual, 

 and they are doing well, considering the very dry weather. Dairy 

 products are fully as high as usual, and prices of dairy cows also 

 keep up. Pastures are in very poor condition, but the recent 

 showers will improve them somewhat. Strawberries have been a 

 good crop ; other fruit makes a very poor showing now. 



West Springfield (T. A. Rogers).— Potato bugs and horn 

 flies are proving troublesome. Indian corn is looking well, with 

 about the average acreage. Very little hay has been cut as yet, 

 with hardly more than half a crop in prospect. The acreage of 

 early potatoes is fully up to the average, and they are generally 

 looking well. Early market-garden crops suffered from drought, 

 late ones looking better. Dairy products plenty up to the present 

 time, some signs of shortage now, price down ; dairy cows 10 per 

 cent off in price. Pasturage is very short indeed. Strawberries 

 are a little short, blackberries and raspberries hurt by drought, 

 no peaches ; pears, apples and plums not half crops. 



Chicopee (P. W. Bemis) . — The elm tree leaf beetle is doing 

 some damage. Indian corn is not as forward this year as usual ; 

 acreage fully up to the average. Haying has commenced, with grass 

 thin and tall, owing to the drought. The acreage of early potatoes 

 is not as large as usual. Market-garden crops planted early are 

 looking well ; prices higher than last year. Price and quantity of 

 dairy products fully up to last year. Pasturage is suffering from 

 dry weather. Berries have suffered from the drought. 



