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but is not all out yet. Tent caterpillars are doing some damage. 

 Planting is progressing very well. Farm help is very scarce, and 

 there is little good help. Wages average S20 per month with 

 board, and ?35 per month without board. More potatoes will be 

 planted than usual. 



Richmond (Timothy B. Salmon). — The season is a backward 

 one. The promise for pastures and mowings is good, but fall 

 seeding did not winter well. The fruit bloom is up to the aver- 

 age, but has suffered from frosts. Currant worms and tent cater- 

 pillars are doing some damage. Planting is later than usual. 

 Farm help is scarce, and half of it is good help. Wages average 

 825 per month with board, and 81.50 per day without board. 

 There are no marked changes in the acreage of farm crops. 



Hinsdale (Thos. F. Barker). — The season is rather backward 

 and cold. Mowings look green and fall seeding looks well. There 

 is a full average fruit bloom ; heavy frost May 20th. No insects 

 have appeared as yet. Planting is now progressing well. Farm 

 help is scarce, and about half of it is good help. Wages range 

 from 818 to 823 per month with board, and from 822 to 830 per 

 month without board. There is not much change in the acreage 

 of farm crops. The apple bloom is very backward, hardly com- 

 menced as yet. 



Dalton (Wesley B. Barton). — The present season is a good 

 one to date. Pastures are doing finely, and mowings start well; 

 fall seeding in good condition. Apples half a bloom ; pears av- 

 erage ; no peaches ; plums and small fruits full. No insects have 

 appeared as yet. Fully the average amount of planting has been 

 done. Farm help is scarce, and 40 per cent of the supply good 

 help. AVages average 823 per month with board, and 81.65 per 

 day without board. No changes in the acreage of farm crops. 

 Rain is needed, but we have had a splendid time for spring work. 



Cheshire (L. J. Northup) . — The season is somewhat later than 

 usual. Pastures and mowings are full}' equal to former years. 

 Pears, plums and small fruits bloomed very full, and the frost did 

 not hurt them. There are no insects doing damage. Planting is 

 progressing finely because of pleasant weather. Farm help is get- 

 ting more scarce, and is not as good as in former years. Wages 

 are from 820 to 825 per mouth with board, and average $1.50 per 

 day without board. There will be more ensilage corn and prob- 

 ably about the same acreage of potatoes planted as formerly. 



Williamslown (S. A. Hickox) — The season is a week later 

 than the normal. Pastures are 15 per cent below the normal in 

 condition. There was a medium fruit bloom. No insects have ap- 

 peared as yet. Planting is progressing fairly well, but is rather 



