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quality. Fruit prospect: apples, 40 per cent; pears, 65 per cent; 

 peaches, none; grapes, fair. Pasturage is now in fair condition, 

 having been greatly improved by the plentiful rains. Very little 

 oats and barley are grown. Celery and other late market-garden 

 crops are in good condition. Much tobacco has been sold in the 

 field at good prices, ranging from 17 to 21 cents delivered in bundles. 

 Onions promise a good crop in most fields, but some show the pres- 

 ence of thrips, and the crop on these will be small. 



New Salem (Daniel Ballard). — Some fields of corn are in good 

 condition, while others are very poor. Prospect for rowen is rather 

 poor, indicating a need for more rain. Late potatoes, as a rule, are 

 very promising, with no blight or rot in evidence. Fruit prospect : 

 apples normal; pears, rather light; peaches, few; grapes, light. 

 Pasturage is pretty short and needs more rain. Oats and barley are 

 a good yield. There is very little celery or other market-garden 

 crops raised in this loealit5^ Interest in the market production of 

 ducks and geese has increased to some extent. 



HAMPSHIRE COUNTY. 



Cummington (W. A. Harlow). — Indian corn is in fair condition. 

 Rowen prospect is poor. The crop of late potatoes will be a good 

 one, with no blight or rot as yet. Apples promise only a light crop. 

 Pasturage at the present time is about normal. Oats and barley are 

 not heading well. Interest in the production of ducks and geese 

 shows no marked change. 



Middlefield (J. T. Bryan). — Corn this year is very poor and late; 

 not much will ripen unless we have an exceptionally late fall. 

 Scarcely any rowen will be harvested, owing to the effects of the 

 drought. Late potatoes promise well, with no blight. Fruit pros- 

 pect : apples, a three-fourths crop ; pears, a full crop ; peaches, fair ; 

 gTapes, fair; quinces, none; cranberries, excellent. Late rains have 

 improved the pastures, and they are now in good condition. Oats 

 and barley are a poor crop. Late market-garden crops promise well. 

 There has been no marked change shown in the interest in the pro- 

 duction of ducks and geese for market. 



Chesterfield (Horatio Bisbee). — Corn is backward, but is now 

 looking well. Prospect for rowen is poor, owing to the dry weather 

 in July and early August. Prospect for late potatoes is not vei-y 

 good; blight seems to be quite genei'al, although rot has not been 

 seen yet. There will be a poor crop of apples. Pasturage is rather 

 poor, but is improving of late. Oats and barley compare well with 

 former years. Very little being done in the market production of 

 ducks and geese. Too much rain in the spring made the corn plant- 

 ing late, and the dry weather following greatly retarded the growth. 



