25 



WORCESTER COUNTY. 



Ashburnham (E. D. Gibson). — Corn is very backward, but is 

 now gi'owing fast; about nine-tenths of the crop is put in the silo. 

 An average crop of fine quality hay has been harvested. Oats, millet, 

 corn and barley grown as forage crops. They have suffered from 

 drought, but are doing well since the rain. Everything is so back- 

 ward that very few market-garden crops are ready for market. The 

 seed of very early crops rotted in the gTound. The fruit prospect 

 is as follows: apples fair; pears fair; peaches few; plums good; 

 cranberries killed by frost. Rye, oats and barley are not up to the 

 average. Very few farmers in this vicinity have silos. 



Gardner (W. E. Knight). — No special damage has been done 

 by insects, although potato bugs are most in evidence. Corn is in 

 fair condition; about 90 per cent of the crop is used for ensilage. 

 There has been an 80 per cent hay crop of excellent quality. Millet, 

 Hungarian and barley are raised as forage crops. Potatoes look 

 well. Apples promise more than an average crop. Pastures are in 

 .poor condition. Rye, oats and barley also in very poor condition. 

 About 25 per cent of the farmers in this locality have silos. 



Petersham (B. W. Spooner). — Potato bugs are much in evi- 

 dence. The corn crop is very backward and uneven; about one-half 

 of it is put in the silo. The quality of the hay crop is above normal, 

 but the quantity is below. The dry weather has affected all garden 

 crops and no potatoes have been dug yet. Prospect poor for all 

 fruits but apples. Pastures badly dried up. About one-half of the 

 farmers in this locality use the silo; ten years ago there were none 

 in town. Corn is the principal crop used as ensilage. 



Hubhardston (Chas. C. Colby). — The brown-tail and gypsy 

 moths are beginning to be troublesome and tent caterpillars are doing 

 the «sual damage. Corn is looking well, but is very backward. The 

 majority of the crop is used in the silo. About an average crop of 

 fine quality hay has been han^ested. Quite a large .acreage of oats, 

 millet, etc., has been planted, which is doing well. Very little market 

 gardening done here. Potatoes not yet ready for market. The 

 prospect for apples, our principal fruit crop, is for an average 

 yield. Recent rains have greatly helped the pastures. Not many 

 new apple trees are being set, but old orchards are receiving better 

 care. Nearly all dairy farmers use the silo, with corn practically 

 the only crop used for ensilage. 



Harvard (John S. Preston). — The San Jose Scale has lately 

 made its appearance in town. Corn is rather backward. A fair 

 crop of good quality hay is reported. Oats and Hungarian and some 

 millet and rye are raised as forage crops, and are looking very well. 

 The drj' weather during June retarded all early market-garden crops; 



