11 



JS^OTES OF CORRESPONDENTS. 



(Returned to us May 23.) 



BERKSHIRE COUNTY. 



New Marlborough (E, W. Rhoades). — The season is early, 

 bat dry. The prospect for pastures and mowings is poor ; fall 

 seeding wintered finely. There was a three-fourths bloom on 

 apples and pears ; plums and small fruits good ; none on peaches. 

 Tent caterpillars and borers are doing some damage. Not much 

 spraying is done, and there is no increase. Farm help is very 

 scarce, and not over half of it is good help. Wages average $20 

 per month with board, and SI. 25 to SI. 50 per day without board. 

 There will perhaps be some increase in the acreage of potatoes. 



Becket (VVm. H. Snow). — The season has been dry and hot. 

 The outlook for the hay crop and pasturage is very poor; fall 

 seeding wintered well, but is drying up. The fruit bloom was a 

 full average. Tent caterpillars are doing some damage. Spray- 

 ing is not practised to any extent. Farm help is very scarce, and 

 poor at that. Wages average $20 per month with board, and $30 

 per month without board. There will be some extra crops sown 

 to help out the hay crop. 



Lee (A. Bradley). — The season is very discouraging, owing 

 to the present drought. Pastures and mowings are in very poor 

 condition ; fall seeding wintered well. There was a full bloom of 

 all kinds of fruit, and it was not injured by frost. Tent cater- 

 pillars are doing some damage. Spraying is practised to a very 

 limited extent, and is not increasing. Help is plenty, but it is 

 very difficult to get first-class help. Wages average $20 per month 

 with board, and $40 per month without board. 



West Stnckbridge (Jas. S. Moore). — The present season is not 

 up to the average, on account of hot, dry weather. Unless we 

 get rain soon, pastures on uplands will be a failure. Frosts injured 

 the cherry bloom, but otherwise there is a good prospect for all 

 kinds of fruit. Potato bugs and currant worms are doing some 

 damage, also elm-leaf beetles. No s|)raying is done in this town. 

 Farm help is scarce, and generally poor. Wages average from 

 $20 to $25 per month with board, and from $30 to $40 per month 

 ■without board. There is about the usual acreage of farm crops. 



