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below the average. Tent caterpillars are unusually plenty. At this 

 writing vei-y little planting has been done. Farm help is very hard 

 to get, and only a small percentage can be called reliable. Wages 

 with board $1.50 to $1.75 per day, without board $1.50 to $2.25. 

 No substantial change in the acreage of the principal crops. No 

 damage reported from pheasants. 



Sterling Junction (Henry S. Sawyer). — The season is very 

 backward on account of wet weather. Pastures and mowings promise 

 good feed and a good crop of hay. Fall seeding is in good shape. 

 A good bloom of apples, peaches, plums and small fruits is the 

 rule. Pears rather light in some localities. Brown-tail moths and 

 tent caterpillars are doing the more notable damage. Planting is 

 late. Help is scarce, and not one-half can be termed good. Wages 

 are about $20 per month with board, or $2 per day without board. 

 There will be a larger acreage of potatoes in this vicinity. Pheas- 

 ants are doing considerable damage; they pull up more corn than 

 the crows. 



Oakham (Jesse Allen). — It has been cold, backward and wet 

 this spring. Pastures and mowings look well, as does most of the 

 fall seeding. A full bloom of all fruits, with no frost. There have 

 been no insects as yet to do damage. Planting is progTessing very 

 slowly. What help can be obtained is unreliable for the most part. 

 Wages range from $20 with board to $30 without board. The 

 general acreage of farm crops will be about the same as in previous 

 years. Pheasants are doing no damage here. 



Northhorotigh (John K. Mills). — The season here is about ten 

 days late. New seeded fields are coming along nicely and pastures 

 and mowing look fine. There is but about one-half bloom of all 

 fruits. No frosts to speak of. Planting is progressing very slowly, 

 owing to so much wet weather. Help is not very plenty, and is of 

 rather indifferent qualify. The average wages are about $25 per 

 month with board, or $2 for a day of nine hours without board. 

 There is no marked change in the acreage of the usual farm crops. 

 Do not know of any damage being done by pheasants. 



Worcester (H. R. Kinney). — There has been so much wet weather 

 that farm work is much behind on moist land. Grass is in good 

 condition, both fields and pasture. The fruit bloom has been full, 

 but the wet weather has damaged it to some extent. There are a 

 good many tent caterpillars, but it has been too cold for most insects 

 so far. So far as I have seen planting is progressing very slowly; 

 what seed has been planted has come up fairly well, but both seed- 

 lings and set plants are making a slow growth. There seems to be 

 plenty of medium to poor help. Wages run from $20 to $30 per 

 month with board, or $1 to $1.65 per day without board. I have 

 not heard of any damage by pheasants. 



