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Ashburnham (E. D. Gibson). — The season is too cold and wet to 

 plant much as yet. Grass in pastures and mowings looks well, and 

 fall seeding wintered fairly well. It is too early to report on the fruit 

 bloom. Tent caterpillars are plenty, but no other insects have ap- 

 peared as yet. Farm help is scarce, and not half that available is good 

 for anything. Wages range from $20 to $30 per month with board and 

 from $1.50 to $1.75 per day without board. The acreage of corn and 

 potatoes will be increased, particularly of corn. Farmers are coming 

 to think that more grain must be grown at home, and I think that 

 we shall see a return to the old custom of growing corn, oats and 

 barley, and even some wheat. 



Gardner (W. E. Knight). — The season is rather cold and backward. 

 Pastures and mowings are looking well, and fall seeding came out well. 

 Fruit trees have not blossomed as yet. Tent caterpillars are doing 

 some damage. Planting is progressing well. Help is fairly plenty, 

 but good help is always scarce. Wages average $25 per month with 

 board and $1.50 per day without board. 



Fitchburg (Dr. Jabez Fisher). — The season seems to be an average 

 one. Grass seems to have wintered well. So far as the fruit bloom has 

 passed, it would seem to be an average one, with no frost. No insects 

 are doing damage as yet. Planting is still progressing slowly. Wages 

 average $20 per month with board and $1.50 per day and upwards 

 without board, with help of all kinds scarce. There will be some 

 increase in the acreage of both corn and potatoes. 



Sterling (Henry S. Sawyer). — The season is late, cold and wet. 

 Pastures and mowings are looking well, and also fall seeding. There 

 is more than an average bloom of all fruits, with no injury from frost. 

 Planting is late, with not much corn planted yet. Good help is scarce, 

 hardly one-half the supply being good. Wages average $25 per month 

 with board and $1.50 per day without board. 



Bolton (H. F. Haynes). — Grass of all kinds looks well. There has 

 been no frost to hurt the fruit bloom, which is about normal. No 

 insects have appeared as yet. Planting is progressing very slowly. 

 Farm help is scarce, and not quite as high in price as usual. Good 

 help receives $1.75 per day without board. There will be no great 

 change in the acreage of farm crops. 



Sonthborough (E. F. Collins). — The present season is a little late, 

 but with warm weather will soon be normal. All grass is looking well, 

 but is thin in places, owing to last year's drought. Very large apple 

 bloom ; peaches fair ; no damage from frost. There will be more than 

 the usual amount of spraying for the codling moth. Planting is well 

 advanced, and will be finished this month. Farm help is reasonably 

 plenty, and about two-thirds of it is good help. Wages range from 

 $20 to $25 per month with board and from $30 to $50 per month 

 without board. There will be a 10 per cent increase in the acreage of 

 corn and potatoes. 



