CROP REPORT FOR THE MONTH OF MAY, 1889. 



Returned to the Office of the State Board of Agriculture, 



June 1, 1889. 



Office State Board of Agriculture, 



Boston, Mass , June 4, 1889. 



General Remarks. 



In presenting our first crop report, we would say that 

 about the 20th of May we sent circulars for information 

 to one hundred and seventeen formers scattered over the 

 State, and that very satisfactory returns have been received 

 from one hundred of them. In the "Notes of Correspond- 

 ents" will be found some of these returns, which are samples 

 of those received. In our circular the following questions 

 were asked: 1. How much earlier is this season than the 

 last? 2. What insects are doing the most damage in your 

 vicinity? 3. Is good help plenty, and at what cost? 4. 

 What is the outlook in your section ? The season averages 

 about two weeks earlier than last. The cold, wet weather of 

 the past two weeks has tended to overcome the unusual 

 earliness of the season. The tent-caterpijlar ( Clisiocampa 

 Americana) is reported as being unusually prevalent in 

 many sections, and we have thought it best to describe 

 its work and suggest methods of extermination. Mrs. Mary 

 Treat, in her little work on the " Injurious Insects of the 

 Farm and Garden," speaking of this caterpillar, says : — 



" The eggs from which these caterpillars hatch are depos- 

 ited mostly during the month of June, in oval rings upon 

 the smaller twigs ; and this peculiar mode of deposition ren- 

 ders them conspicuous objects during the winter time, when 

 by a little practice they can be easily distinguished from the 

 buds, knots or swellings of the naked twigs. Each cluster 

 consists of from two to three hundred eggs, and is covered 



