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Spencer (H. H. Kinsbury). — The season is about normal in 

 some features and backward in others. Fall seeding is in fine 

 condition, and with" good rains pastures and mowings will produce 

 average yields. There has been an unusually full fruit bloom, 

 and no injury from frost. The cool, dry weather has been un- 

 favorable to insects. There is the usual scarcity of farm help. 

 "Wages are the same as in former years. There will be little 

 change in the usual acreage of farm crops this season. 



Oakham (Jesse Allen). — The season is fully up to the aver- 

 age. Rain is greatly needed by pastures and mowings ; fall seed- 

 ing looks well. There was a light bloom of all fruits, and no 

 damage from frosts. Spraying is not practised in this locality. 

 Farm help is plenty, and perhaps half of it is good help. Wages 

 average $20 per month with board, and S30 without board. More 

 ensilage corn has been planted and less potatoes than usual. 



Hubbardston (C. C. Colby) . — Crops are very backward, owing 

 to lack of rain and the unusually cold weather. Feed in pastures 

 starts very slowly, and mowings, especially old fields, are light. 

 The bloom of apples, pears and plums is unusually heavy for an 

 off year, and there have been no frosts that did damage. There 

 is not a spraying outfit in this section. Good farm help is 

 always scarce. Wages range from $18 to $26 per month with 

 board, and from $1.50 to $2 per day without board. There will 

 be about the usual acreage of staple crops, but more truck will be 

 put in, especially early peas. 



Templeton (Lucien Gove). — The season is late and dry. 

 Pastures and mowings are greatly in need of rain ; fall seeding 

 generally wintered well. There was a full bloom of pears, plums 

 and small fruits ; Baldwin apples rather light ; other varieties 

 average. Tent caterpillars are doing some damage. But little 

 spraying is done, and it is not increasing to any extent. Help is 

 very hard to get, and most of it is unreliable. Wages average 

 from $18 to $22 per month with board, and from $1.50 to $2.25 

 per day without board. There will be less dependence placed on 

 hay than formerly, as more forage crops are being put in. 



Asliburnham (E. D. Gibson). — The season is backward, with 

 much below normal temperature and rainfall. Fall seeding 

 wintered well; pastures never in poorer condition at this date. 

 All fruits bloomed Avell, but are at least ten days behind. Spray- 

 ing is very little practised, and is not gaining in favor. Farm 

 help is scarce, and not one-fourth of it really good. Wages 

 average from S20 to $30 per month, and $1.50 per day. There 

 will be few changes in the usual acreages of farm crops. 



Fitchburg (Dr. Jabez Fisher). — Everything has wintered un- 



