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yet. But few make a practice of spraying, but it is on the increase. 

 Farm help is scarce and possibly half of it is good help. Wages 

 average $20 per month and $1.50 per day. There is no marked 

 change in the acreage of farm crops. 



North Brookfteld (J. H. Lane). — The season is backward, but 

 there is plenty of time. Pastures and mowings promise well and 

 fall seeding wintered well. The fruit bloom is abundant and safe 

 from frost, so far, seemingly. It has been too cold for insects. 

 Spraying is not practised and there is not much increase. Farm 

 help is scarce and not over 10 per cent of it is good help. Wages 

 are from $15 to $17 per month with board and from $1.25 to $1.75 ' 

 per day without board. There will be no marked changes in the 

 acreage of farm crops and no new enterprises in agriculture. 



Rutland (L. S. Dudley). — The season is about a normal one. 

 Pastures and mowings promise well and fall seeding wintered well. 

 Fruit trees blossomed well and I think have escaped injury from 

 frost. Potato bugs are doing some damage. Not much attention 

 is paid to spraying. Farm help is scarce and one in twelve good 

 help. Wages average $20 per month with board and $35 per 

 month without board. There are no marked changes in the acre- 

 age of farm crops, and no new enterprises in agriculture. 



Htibbardston (C. C. Colby). — The season is nearly two weeks 

 later than usual. Grass has started very slowly ; many mowings 

 badly winter-killed ; fall seeding looking better than that seeded 

 last spring. Fruit trees are in full bloom with the prospect of a 

 full year. Very few of our farmers practise spraying, but they 

 will have to if they want to grow fruit. Farm help is scarce and 

 good help is almost impossible to obtain. Wages range from $20 

 to $30 per month with board and from $1.25 to $1.50 per day 

 without board. There will be about the usual acreage of the regu- 

 lar farm crops. 



Petersham (S. B. Cook) . — The season is fully up to the normal. 

 Grass is looking well in pastures and mowings ; fall seeding 

 winter-killed badly because of bare ground during the winter. 

 Apple and pear bloom more abundant than usual ; peaches suf- 

 fered from late frost. But little spraying is done and it is not on 

 the increase. A few tent caterpillars are the only insects that have 

 appeared. Farm help is scarce and one third of it is good help. 

 Wages range from $12 to $15 per month with board and from $20 

 to $28 per month without board. The acreage of common crops 

 is about the same as usual. Market gardening and raising small 

 fruits is on the increase. There is a marked interest in the dairy- 

 ing business and the number of cows is increasing. 



