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they are not correct onongli to be of value. Corn is coming up 

 slowly, and some of it poorly. Potatoes arc a week or ten days 

 behind, but coming all right. Most vegetables are about the same 

 time behind last season. Grass looks finely. 



Hudson (Geo. A. Cotting) . — The apple trees are now white 

 with blossoms. The season is cold and backward, which is favor- 

 able for a heavy crop of apples. 



Concord (Wax. H. Hunt). — The asparagus beetle is about, but 

 not as abundant as in some years. April was very dry, and the 

 latter part of May has been very wet and cold. Some early 

 planted corn has to be replanted. There is a full fruit blow. 

 Experienced farm hands are getting a little more pay than last 

 year. 



Groton (Daniel Needhaji) . — This is a very remarkable season. 

 April gave us only eight one-hundredths of an inch of rain ; May 

 has given a little in excess of four inches. The ground is now full 

 of water, and grass and all fruit trees, excepting pears, promise 

 an abundant harvest. Hay is very scarce ; our farmers sold at low 

 prices last fall, thinking there would never be any more high 

 prices for hay ; but they now see their mistake. Our farmers 

 think well of the weather forecasts. 



Billerica (J. N. Pardee). — Fruit trees blossomed unusually 

 full. Grass is growing rapidly. Early potatoes and peas are 

 looking well. Corn planted May 7 on early laud is not up yet. 

 Have seen some fields planted -eaiTier, well up, but looking rather 

 yellow. Tent caterpillars were numerous, but the storm of the 

 20th and 21st nearly destroyed them. Good help is hard to get, 

 at $20 per mouth with board. May was cold and wet, but, the 

 ground being saturated and the springs full, a few warm days will 

 cause a boom. 



ESSEX COUNTY. 



Grovelcmd (Abel Stickney). — Tent caterpillars are not very 

 plenty, especially where they were kept back last year. Our 

 farmers regard the weather forecasts printed in the daily papers 

 as quite valuable, but yet are not willing to wait for results. The 

 season is such that our hoed crops are not all in yet. Fruit never 

 blossomed better ; the bloom of apple, peach aud cherry was great, 

 that of pear and plum more than an average. 



South Byfield (Geo. W. Adams). — The season is later and 

 dryer than last year. With the exception of grass, the outlook is 

 favorable. The tent caterpillar is doing the most damage of any 

 insect. A few spray them, or use a brush. Our farmers make 

 little use of the weather forecasts, as printed in the daily papers. 



