10 



Mauftjiekl. — Our grass crop is looking remarkably well, as it 

 has been quite a wet season so far, and the prospect is good for a 

 heavy crop of hay if the season continues favorable. It is early 

 to tell about otlrer crops. 



D. E. Harding. 



North DartmoxUli. — The weather in this locality has been so 

 wet that it has retarded planting very much, although the latter 

 part of April was quite favorable for seeding. Corn is not nearly 

 all planted, and many potatoes are hardly up, owing to late plant- 

 ing. The average of rain has been about two rainy days a week 

 during May. 



L. T. Davis. 



North Ray iiliam. — Ihere is a steady increase in the attention 



given to the cultivation of small fruits and in their preparation for 



market. Continued rains, succeeded by only now and then a 



bright day, have delayed farm work so that things are backward 



at the present time. 



N. W. SiiAW. 



DUKES COUNTY. 



West Tisbiiry. — Season no earlier than usual. No insects have 

 appeared yet. Outlook as favorable for farmers as it was ten 

 years ago. About half of the farm help are Portuguese, and 

 eighteen dollars per month are the average wages paid to mature 

 farm help. 



Wm. .1. ROTCII. 



ESSEX COUNTY. 



Haverhill. — There is an increase here in market gardening and 

 the milk business. Planting has been delayed somewhat by rain. 



Eben AVebster. 



Ipswich. — The season so far has been very wet, and the grass 



and small grains have made a large growth ; but the cold nights, 



and the air temperature being generally below the average, have 



kept corn back and retarded the growth of other crops except in 



favored localities. 



O. C. Smith. 



Marblehead. — The abundant moisture is starting grass along 

 rapidly, and the hay crop promises to be above the average. En- 

 silage corn is looking well. 



Wm. S. Phillips, Jr. 



