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Royalston (C. A. Stimson) . — The present season is up to the 

 average, except slightly colder. The promise for pastures and 

 mowings is exceptionally good and fall seeding wintered well. 

 The fruit bloom is above the average. No insects as yet. No 

 spraying is done in this locality. Good help is always scarce and 

 is not more tlian one-eighth of the total supply. Wages are $16 

 per month with board ; most day help is paid $1.50 per day. No 

 marked changes in acreage of farm crops and no new enterprises 

 in agriculture. 



Westminster (I. Dickinson). — The season is very favorable, 

 but planting is late. Pastures and mowings are in the best con- 

 dition and fall seeding wintered well. Fruit trees made a full 

 bloom and are looking finely. Tent caterpillars are doing some 

 damage. Very little spraying is done and the practice is not in- 

 creasing. Good help is scarce, being about 10 per cent of the 

 supply. "Wages are from $18 to $20 per month with board and 

 $30 without. Acreage of farm crops about as usual and no new 

 enterprises. 



Fitchburg (Jabez Fisher). — It has been a little wet for some 

 lands, but otherwise the season is normal, and apple trees bloomed 

 one day earlier than the average for forty-two years. Pastures 

 and mowings are in first-class shape ; no winter-killing seen. The 

 fruit bloom was unusually superior for most fruits. Tent cater- 

 pillars and bud worms are doing some damage. Very little spray- 

 ing is done, and it is not generally increasing. Poor help is 

 plenty, as usual ; good help, less so. Wages are $"20 per month 

 with board and $1.50 per day without board. No special changes 

 are likely to be made in crops. 



Bolton (H. E. Babcock). — The season is from ten days to two 

 weeks late. Pastures and mowings promise well and fall seeding 

 wintered well. Apples, pears and cherries blossomed very full ; 

 plums and peaches look badly. No insects doing damage as yet. 

 There was more spraying than usual last year, but none as yet 

 this year. Good farm help is scarce. Wages are from $1 to 

 $1.25 per day with board. The acreage of farm crops is slightly 

 reduced in this vicinity. 



Worcester (S. A. Burgess). — The season is about a normal one. 

 The prospect for pastures and mowings is quite favorable and fall 

 seeding wintered well. The fruit bloom is average, except that 

 Baldwin apples are not up to the average of even years. Canker 

 worms, tent caterpillars, cut worms and white grubs are doing 

 some damage. Spraying is quite generally practised and is in- 

 creasing. Farm help is quite plenty and about half of it is good. 

 Wages are $15 to $25 per month with board, $25 to $50 per month 



