15 



HAMPSHIRE COUNTY. 



Ware (J. H. Fletcher). — Indian corn is below an average 

 crop. The prospect for rowen is excellent. Potatoes do not 

 promise to be a very good crop. Apples, pears, peaches and 

 grapes are very good in some parts of the town. Pasturage is in 

 excellent condition, Oats and barley are not much raised except 

 for hay and to feed green. Much attention is paid to poultry, 

 and the income derived from poultry products is about equal to 

 that from the dairy. 



Prescott (W. F. Wendermuth) . — Corn is poor and not earing 

 well, with some rust, all owiug to too much rain. Rowen is a 

 good crop, probably from one-third to one-half more than usual. 

 Potatoes will be small, unripe and a light yield, and are badly 

 blighted. Apples fair for an off year, pears fair, peaches one- 

 third crop, grapes rotting badly. Pastures are in very good con- 

 dition. Oats and barley are about two-thirds crops, the late ones 

 being nearly spoiled by rust. Poultry is growing in favor, and 

 the proportion of the income derived from it to that derived from 

 the dairy is about one to four. 



Amherst (F. S. Cooley). — Corn is good only where drainage 

 is good, a large part being almost a failure. Rowen is better than 

 usual on earl}'^ cut mowings. Potatoes promise poorly and rot is 

 very prevalent. Tobacco has generally suffered from excessive 

 rainfall. Pasturage is unusually plentiful. From one-tenth to one- 

 fifth of the income on many local farms comes from the farm 

 poultry. 



Hatfield (Thaddeus Graves) . — Corn is injured by the rains, 

 but is improving, and with sun will be a good crop. Rowen is 

 better than usual. Potatoes are not in good condition and both 

 blight and rot have appeared. Tobacco was injured by rain and 

 is about half a crop. Pears and grapes are good crops, but apples 

 are scarce. Pastures are in better condition than usual. Oats 

 are about an average crop. No atCention is paid to poultry. 



Northampton (D. A. Horton). — Indian corn is very poor 

 and will not average more than one-third of a crop. Rowen is 

 very good. Both blight and rot on potatoes are reported. The 

 acreage of tobacco is about the same as in 1896, but the yield is 

 not more than two-thirds as great, if it is more than one-half. 

 All fruits promise full average crops. Pasturage is in very good 

 condition. No barley and but few oats are raised. 



Southampton (C. B. Lyman). — Indian corn does not promise 

 more than half a crop. Rowen is the largest crop for years. 

 Potatoes will be a light crop ; blight is general and rot has showed 



