36 



ward, having been very cold and wet thus far. Fall seeding 

 wintered well enough, but is not doing as well as it should. The 

 fruit bloom is generally small, but has not suffered from late spring 

 frosts. Tent caterpillars have done the most damage so far. Plant- 

 ing is behindhand. Help is scarce. Wages with board are about 

 $25 per month, and $45 per month without board. There will be 

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

 has been no damage from pheasants in this section. 



Carver (Jas. A. Vaughan). — There has been more rain than 

 usual this spring. Promise for a good hay crop and for good sum- 

 mer feed in the pastures is excellent. The fruit bloom is about 

 an average one, and there has been no frost damage this spring. 

 Tent caterpillars are the only insects that are doing any appre- 

 ciable damage at the present time. Planting is progressing slowly. 

 There is but little help which knows how to do all kinds of farm- 

 ing; there are plenty of Portuguese and other foreigners for cran- 

 berry-bog work. About all the heljj here work by the day, and the 

 pay averages about $1.65. There has been no damage by pheas- 

 ants in this section. 



Lakeville (Nathaniel G. Staples). — The season here is very 

 backward, even more so than for a number of years. Pastures and 

 mowings promise abundant growth, and fall seedings wintered very 

 well. There is about a two-thirds bloom of fruit, except peaches, 

 which the severe cold of the winter seems to have affected. The 

 tent caterpillar seems to be doing more damage than any other one 

 insect. Planting is about two weeks behind, and farm help is very 

 scarce; about one-half of the help can be called good. Wages 

 average about $25 per month with board, and $1.75 per day with- 

 out board. There will be more corn and potatoes raised here this 

 year than usual. Have not heard of any damage being done by 

 pheasants. 



Rochester (Geo. H. Randall). — The season is two weeks late, 

 very wet and cold, and much land is too wet to plow. Grass and 

 rye are very promising, and fall seeding wintered well. Apples, 

 pears and plums showed a full average bloom, but peach buds were 

 killed in most localities. Tent caterpillars and currant worms have 

 been causing some damage where spraying has not been done. 

 Planting is two to three weeks late on account of the excessive 

 rains. Farm help is very scarce, and not more than one-half is 

 first class. Wages range from $20 to $25 per month when board 

 is included, and from $30 to $40 when the laborer finds his own 

 board. The acreage of the staple farm crops will be slightly re- 

 duced this year over what it has been in past years. I hear no 

 reports of damage by pheasants. 



Mattapoisett (E. C. Stetson). — The season has been wel, cold 



