16 



to secure. Wages average $20 per month with board, and $1.50 

 per day without board. There are no' new departures in agricul- 

 tural lines. 



HAMPDEN COUNTY. 



Tolland (W. M. Moore). — The season is cold, dry and back- 

 ward. Pastures and mowings are much in need of rain ; fall seed- 

 ing wintered fairly well, except on very wet, low land. Fruit 

 trees bloomed full, and have not as yet been damaged by frost. 

 The tent caterpillar is doing some damage. Spraying is not prac- 

 tised to any extent. Farm help is very scarce, — that is, good 

 help. Wages average $25 per month with board, and $1.50 per 

 day without board. There are no changes in the acreage of farm 

 crops. 



Soutliwick (L. A. Fowler). — The dry weather is keeping back 

 corn and potatoes. Pastures and mowings need rain ; fall seeding 

 wintered well. All kinds of fruit trees showed an abundant bloom. 

 Spraying is not practised at all. Farm help is plenty, and about 

 one-fourth of it is good help. Wages average $18 per month 

 with board, and $1.50 per day without board. There are no 

 changes in the acreage of farm crops ; a few are changing from 

 Havana seed to broad-leaf tobacco. 



Russell (E. D. Parks). — The season is very backward, al- 

 though plowing and planting are well along. The dry weather 

 is very bad for pastures ; fall seeding wintered well. There 

 was a good fruit bloom, and no damage from frosts. Tent 

 caterpillars and currant worms are doing some damage. Spray- 

 ing is not much practised, but is increasing. Farm help is very 

 scarce, and mostly poor help. Wages average $1 per day with 

 board, and $1.50 without board. There are no changes in the 

 acreage of farm crops. 



West Springfield (T. A. Rogers). — The season is very dry and 

 cold ; all cultivated crops are backward. Pastures are short and 

 mowings late ; fall seeding wintered well. Apples and peaches 

 made a full average bloom ; pears and plums light ; small fruits 

 will bloom full ; frosts on 21st and 22d. Tent caterpillars, cut 

 worms and currant worms are doing some damage. Spraying is 

 not as much practised as it should be, and is not on the increase. 

 Farm help is not plenty, and very little of it is good help. Wages 

 range from $20 to $25 per month with board, and from $1.10 to 

 $1.50 per day without board. There is some increase in the acre- 

 age of potatoes and onions. 



Ludlow (Chas. B. Bennett). — The season is about two weeks 

 late. Fall seeding looks well, but all grass needs rain. All trees 



