18 



tent caterpillars are doiog some damage. Farm help is plenty 

 and one-fourth is good help. Wages are $1.00 per day without 

 board and 75 cents with. There is no marked change in the 

 acreage of the usual farm crops. 



Longmeadow (W. F. Emerson). — The season is about an av- 

 erage one. Pastures and mowings promise better than for several 

 years past and fall seeding wintered well. The fruit bloom is 

 fully up to the normal and no effect of the April freeze can be 

 seen. There are more tent caterpillars than for a year or two. 

 Spraying is not practised. Good help is not plenty. Wages are 

 $20 per month with board and $1.50 per day without board. 

 There is nothing new in agricultural enterprises. 



Monson (A. H. White). — The season is fully as early as the 

 average. Pastures and mowings are looking well at present. 

 Apples made a light bloom and peaches and plums a heavy one. 

 Tent caterpillars are doing some damage. Spraying is but little 

 practised. Farm help is scarce and farmers are not hiring as 

 much as usual. Wages are from $15 to $20 per month with board 

 and $1.25 per day without board. Rather more corn and potatoes 

 will be planted than in 1896. 



Palmer (O. P. Allen). — The present season is fully up to the 

 average. Pastures and mowings promise well and fall seeding 

 wintered fairly well. The fruit bloom was very good. Moles are 

 more troublesome at the present writing than are insects. Good 

 help is scarce. Wages are about $1.50 per day without board. 

 * Brimjield (G. M. Hitchcock). — The early season was very 

 dry, but abundant rains have fallen of late. Grass started early, 

 but there is general complaint that fall seeding did not winter 

 well. The fruit bloom is lighter than last year, for which we are 

 thankful. Canker worms have made their appearance. Spraying 

 is not practised at all. Farm help is scarce. Wages $16 to $20 

 per month with board and $1.50 per da}' without board. Less 

 corn and potatoes will be planted this year than formerly. 



WORCESTER COUNTY. 



Sturhridge (C. V. Corey). — The season is good, but not as 

 early as some years. Pastures and mowings are looking better 

 than the average and fall seeding wintered well. The fruit bloom 

 was not as good as last year, but a good average. Tent cater- 

 pillars are doing some damage. Not much spraying is done and 

 it is not increasing. Farm help is not plenty and one-fourth is 

 good help. Wages are $15 to $20 per month with board and $30 



