BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



Summary of Crop Conditions, 1913. 



The season opened warm, with seasonable rains, and the 

 usual amount of planting seems to have been done up to about 

 the 10th of May. Frosts on this date occurred in several sec- 

 tions. After a short, dry, cold spell rains and warmer weather 

 arrived to help vegetation. Pastures and mowings showed 

 good growth early in the season, but received a setback in 

 May. Fall seeding wintered well in most cases, although 

 there were scattering reports to the contrary. All fruits ex- 

 cept plums bloomed well. Small fruits showed the best bloom 

 for the State. Frosts injured all fruits in some sections, 

 more noticeably in the valleys, and damage of greater or 

 lesser degree was reported from all parts except Dukes and 

 Nantucket, which did not furnish information on this ques- 

 tion. Strawberries were most affected by frost. The season 

 of 1912 and the mild winter following seem to have been 

 peculiarly favorable to the multiplication and preservation of 

 the tent caterpillar, while the warm spring insured early 

 incubation and an abundance of food. Cutworms, brown- 

 tail and gypsy moths, currant worms, elm-leaf beetles, June 

 bug larvae, codling moths and bud moths were the most in- 

 jurious insects of the month. The amount of planting done 

 during the month was below the average. Farm help was 

 reported to be scarce and the percentage of good help small. 

 Wages showed no advance over those of the previous year. 

 Many new orchards were set out and old ones were reported 

 as being better taken care of. Successful experimentation 

 with alfalfa was reported from various parts of the State. 

 Hawks, crows, blackbirds and pheasants were named as being 

 the most injurious birds to crops and chickens. 



The weather of June was of the average midsummer type, 

 with the temperature about normal, and rainfall irregularly 



