10 



say that cut worms are attacking every plant that has a 

 root soft enough to be eaten. The frosts have not been 

 hard enough to damage fruit buds to any extent, and the 

 outlook for fruit is very flattering. Apples blossomed from 

 a week to ten days earlier than the average. 



In the circular to correspondents returnal)le May 25 the 

 following questions were asked : — 



1. How does the present season compare, agriculturally 

 speaking, with last season? 



2. AVhat is the promise for pastures and mowings, and did 

 fall seeding winter well ? 



3. How did the fruit bloom compare with the bloom of 

 former years ? 



4. What insects appear to be doing the most damage in 

 your neighborhood ? 



5. To what extent is spraying practised against insects 

 attacking fruit, and is it on the increase in your locality? 



6. Is farm help scarce, or plenty, and what proportion 

 would you call good help? 



7. What wages, with board and without board, are paid 

 farm help in your vicinity? 



8. What proportion does the production of fruits and 

 small fruits bear to general farming in your locality, and is 

 it increasing from year to year, or otherwise? 



Returns have been received from 157 correspondents, and 

 from them the following summary has been made up * : — 



The Season. 

 Correspondents vary very much in their replies to this 

 question, but the general opinion seems to be that the season 

 opened from one to two weeks earlier than last year. The 

 extreme drought which prevailed during the month, together 

 with cold and variable weather, has, however, operated to 

 check the growth of all crops, and it is probable that the 

 season is at the present time but little in advance of last 

 year. Many correspondents indeed speak of the season as 



* The irreat majority of these returns were received before the recent general rains, 

 and the conditions at present are probably much better than those which they 

 describe. 



