33 



Planting is ijrogressing slowly and much corn ground yet remains 

 to be seeded. Farm help in about the usual supply, mostly Polanders 

 and Finlanders, and very good help. Wages average from $20 to 

 $25 per month with board, and about $40 without board. There will 

 be no marked changes in the usual farm crops this year. Have 

 heard but one complaint of damage by pheasants and that was to 

 early-planted peas. 



NORFOLK COUNTY. 



Cohasset (Ellery C. Bates). — The present season is about nor- 

 mal. Pastures and mowings are in good condition, and fall seeding 

 wintered well. There has been a normal fruit bloom, with no late 

 frosts. No insect damage at present. Planting is progressing very 

 satisfactorily. Help is scarce, and about one-half of it can be 

 called good. Wages in this vicinity range from $20 to $25 per 

 month with board, and from $1.50 to $2 per day without board. 

 There will be no marked change in the general acreage of farm 

 crops this season. There has been no damage done by pheasants 

 in the country around here. 



Millis (E. F. Richardson). — The spring has been very cold 

 and wet. The grass prospect is excellent, and fall seeding wintered 

 in good shape. Fruit bloom as follows: apples abundant; pears 

 small; peaches missing; small fruits good. The tent caterpillar 

 and the San Jose scale seem to be doing more damage than any 

 other insects. Planting is progressing slowly. Help is scarce, and 

 about 50 per cent is what might be termed good help. Wages, 

 $2S with board, and $50 without board. If the season permits there 

 will be more corn and potatoes planted than previously. There 

 has been no complaint of the destructiveness of the pheasants. 



Franklin (C. M. Allen). — The cold and wet this season has put 

 the farmer to his wits' end to know what to do next, and has put 

 everything except gi-ass and fruits way behind. The promise for 

 pastures and mowings is very good. The bloom of apples and 

 pears was good, and that of small fruits rather light; peach buds 

 were winterkilled. Planting is slow and late. Help is scarce, and 

 mostly no good; about one in a hundred can be called good. Wages 

 vary with the individual farmers and with the quality of the heljD. 

 The acreage of the staple crops will be about as usual. No pheas- 

 ants here. 



StoiigJitoti (Chas. F. Curtis). — The season is about ten days 

 late. Pastures and mowings show the effect of the past three years' 

 droughts, and mowings need fertilizer or manure. Fall seeding, 

 where done early, wintered well. The bloom seems to be rather 

 scant, but with no frost damage as yet. Gypsy moths, brown-tail 

 moths and tent caterpillars seem to be doing the woi'st damage 

 here. Planting is behind that of a normal season. Farm help is 



