25 



Winchester (S. S. Symmes). — The elm-leaf beetle is doing some 

 damage. Indian corn is not raised here. Hay was all secured, but was 

 a light crop. Sweet corn is being cut to feed cows, as it failed to grow 

 ears, owing to drought. Potatoes have dried up ; prices on all market- 

 garden crops have been lower than for years. There will be fair yields 

 of apples and peaches; much rain is needed for fruit. Pasturage is 

 absolutely dried up. Rye was a fair crop. The drought has been so 

 severe that nearly all crops are ruined. A shower on the night of the 

 22d wet the ground about four inches deep. 



Newton (G. L. Marcy). — Gypsy moths have a good foothold here. 

 Indian corn is not raised and the weather has been too dry for sweet 

 corn and silo corn. The hay crop was below the average in both quan- 

 tity and quality. Corn and millet are raised for forage and their con- 

 dition is much improved since the recent showers. Garden crops were 

 nearly ruined by drought, but will improve with the rains; one man 

 reports digging one pint of potatoes from twenty-two hills. Apples, 

 pears, quinces and grapes promise average crops. Pastures are in poor 

 condition, but are beginning to look green again now. Rye, oats and 

 barley were good crops where cut before the drought. There was no 

 rain in this section from ^lay 30 to July 18, except very light showers. 



ESSEX COUNTY. 



Haverhill (Eben Webster). — Fall tent caterpillars are doing some 

 damage. Corn is doing well since the drought was broken; most of the 

 crop goes into the silo. The hay crop was about two-thirds of an 

 average crop in quantity. Corn is the principal forage crop grown. 

 Market-garden crops have given less yields than usual, but prices have 

 been higher. Grapes are plenty; other fruits less than normal. Pas- 

 turage is in about the usual condition. We have had hot and dry 

 weather until about two weeks ago. 



Andover (Milo H. Gould). — The elm-tree beetle is doing some 

 damage. Indian corn is looking pretty well, but is rather late; all 

 will go into the silo. The hay crop was about 80 per cent of a normal 

 crop and was of good quality. Oats and peas, barley and Hungarian 

 grass are the forage crops grown and are in good condition. Market- 

 garden crops have been below the average in yield and prices have been 

 low; potatoes are a light crop on account of drought. Apples and 

 cranberries will give light yields; pears and peaches are looking well; 

 grapes good. Pastures are short. There are average crops of rye, oats 

 and barley, as they came on early enough to escape the drought. 



Hamilton (Geo. R. Dodge). — No insects are proving especially de- 

 structive. Ninety per cent of the corn crop will be put into the silo; 

 it is not quite as forward as usual this season. Hay was not over a 

 two-thirds crop in cjuantity, but was of good quality. Oats, barley 

 and fodder corn are the crops grown for forage and fields of sowed 

 grain are uneven and weedy. Market-garden crops give fair promise 



