14 



Fruit trees are just beginning to bloom ; apples are all right, but 

 peaches are a failure. No insects are doing damage at present. 

 Very little spraying is done here. Farm help is scarce and about 

 one-fourth of it good. Wages are from $18 to $20 per month 

 with board and $1.50 per day and $30 per month without board. 

 It is too early in the season to note any changes in the acreage of 

 farm crops. 



New Salem (Daniel Ballard). — The season is about an aver- 

 age one. Pastures and mowings were greatly helped by the recent 

 rains ; fall seeding looks well as a rule. The fruit bloom was 

 above the average ; frost did some damage on low lands, but little 

 or none on the hills. Tent caterpillars are in evidence, but are 

 doing little damage. Quite a number of our farmers are spraying 

 for the first time. Farm help is quite scarce and probably half 

 of it is good help. Wages range from $12 to $20 per month with 

 board and from $1 to $1.50 per day without board. The usual 

 lines are being followed in the acreage of farm crops. 



HAMPSHIRE COUNTY. 



Prescolt (W. F. Wendermuth). — The season is from two to 

 three weeks late. Pastures are good but late ; fall seeding win- 

 tered well. There was a full fruit bloom and very little injury from 

 frost. Tent caterpillars are doing some damage. No one sprays 

 here so far as I know. The supply of farm help is equal to the 

 demand and it is all good. Wages average $20 per month with 

 board and $1.50 per day without board. The acreage of farm 

 crops is about the same as usual and there are no new enterprises 

 in agriculture. 



Belchertown (H. C. West). — The season is fully up to the 

 average. Pastures and mowings promise fairly well and fall seed- 

 ing wintered well. The fruit bloom was very full and it has not 

 suffered from frosts. Spraying is very little practised as yet, but 

 has got to come and is increasing. Farm help is not plenty and 

 one in four is good help. Wages are from $15 to $18 per month 

 with board and from $1.25 to $1.50 per day without board. The 

 acreage of potatoes will be increased. The only new enterprise 

 hereabouts is the plowing of bog meadows, converting worthless 

 wastes into No. 1 mowing lands at comparatively small expense. 



Amherst (Wm. P. Brooks). — The season is some weeks later 

 than usual. Pastures and mowings everywhere give good promise, 

 but new seeded clover wintered poorly. The fruit bloom was late 

 but very abundant ; damage in this immediate vicinity slight, but 

 in some localities serious ; strawberries much injured. Tent cat- 



