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peas did not fill out well, string beatis are fair, and what few pota- 

 toes have been dug are very small. Apples, pears, peaches, plums, 

 quinces and grapes promise large crops. Pasturage is about in 

 average condition. The drought has injured rye, oats and barley. 

 About two thousand apple trees have recently been set in this town, 

 and there have been quite a number of pear and peach trees used 

 as fillers in the new orchards. Very few farmers use the silo, and 

 the number is not increasing. 



Sterling Junction (Henry S. Sawter). — Potato bugs are much 

 in evidence. Corn is backward; about one-third is being grown for 

 ensilage. An abundant hay crop of good quality is the rule. Oats 

 and millet as forage crops are in good condition at the present time. 

 Market-garden crops are backward; none being harvested as yet. 

 Prospect for apples, plums and grapes is good ; for pears and peaches 

 light. The drought has dried up the pastures very much. Rye, oats 

 and barley as forage crops are about normal. About five acres of 

 new orchard have been set. About one-tenth of the dairy farmers in 

 this locality use the silo; this being about the same proportion as 

 ten years ago. 



New Braintree (Chas. D. Sage). — Potato bugs and elm-leaf 

 beetle are doing the most damage. Corn is very backward ; probably 

 25 per cent of the crop is used for ensilage. The hay crop is better 

 than last year, but not up to the average. Some millet and oats and 

 peas are grown as forage crops, but all are very backward. Pota- 

 toes have been injured by the drought. Fruit prospects: apples 

 60 per cent; pears 40 per cent; peaches none; plums 75 per cent; 

 grapes 50 per cent. The pear blight is damaging some orchards for 

 the first time in many years. Pastures were badly injured by 

 drought and cows are giving very little milk. All spring grains 

 suffered from drought, but rye was a fair crop. Ten acres new 

 orchard have been set this year. Ten per cent of the dairy farmers 

 use the silo, which is twice as many as ten years ago. 



Northborough (John K. Mills). — Many apple trees are being 

 damaged by plant lice and lice are also doing damage to peas. Corn 

 is looking well; over half the crop will be put in the silo. There 

 has been a good hay crop in quantity and quality. Corn and millet 

 are raised as forage crops and since the rain are growing rapidly. 

 Early market-garden crops were light and prices higher than last 

 year. It is yet too early to predict what the potato crop will do. 

 There will be a verj' light crop of peaches, pears, plums, quinces; 

 about half a crop of apples, and a good crop of grapes. Pastures 

 are very poor, and will be of little help in the production of milk 

 the rest of the year. Rye and oats have not done well. Some ten 

 acres of new orchard has been set and a large number of trees have 

 replaced old ones, which have died. Three-fourths of the dairy 

 farmers have silos; ten years ago not over one-third. 



