23 



scarce, and about one in ten is good help. Wages average from 



$20 to $22 per month with board, and from $1.50 to §1.75 per 



day without board. There are no marked changes in the acreage 



of farm crops. 



ESSEX COUNTY. 



Salishnry (Wesley Pettengill). — The season is a good aver- 

 age one to date. Pastures are in fair condition, mowings look 

 well and all grass wintered well. Peaches made a great bloom ; 

 pears and plums light; apples about half a normal bloom, as they 

 were very uneven ; strawberries were injured by frost. Tent 

 caterpillars are doing some damage. Spraying is done mostly for 

 the canker worm, and is not increasing. Farm help is not very 

 plenty, and about one-fourth of it may be called good help. 

 Wages average from §18 to $25 per month with board, and from 

 $1.50 to $2 per day without board. I think there will be a larger 

 acreage of corn this year than usual. 



Ilaverhill (Eben Webster) . — The season was rather cool and 

 dry the first of the month, but we had a good rain this week. 

 Pastures and mowings are looking well ; fall seeding washed some- 

 what in the winter and early spring. There was a large bloom of 

 peaches and plums ; apples good ; few pears. Tent caterpillars 

 are doing some damage. Spraying is on the increase. Farm help 

 is in about the usual supply, and half of it is good. Wages range 

 from $15 to §22 per month with board, and average $1.50 per 

 day without board. Rather more corn will be put in for the silo. 



Roidey (D. H. O'Brien). — The season is a very favorable 

 one. Pastures and mowings promise well, and fall seeding win- 

 tered well. The fruit bloom was about half a full bloom ; peaches 

 suffered from frosts, other fruits not damaged much. Tent cater- 

 pillars are doing some damage.- Spraying is not practised much, 

 but is increasing somewhat. Farm help is scarce, and about one- 

 liair of it is good help. Wages average from $22 to $24 per 

 month with board, and from §1.50 to $2 per day without board. 

 There will be an increase in the acreage of corn. 



And over (M. II. Gould). — The season is a favorable one. 

 Pastures and mowings started well, but unless we have consider- 

 able rain, they will be light ; fall seeding wintered well. " There 

 was a full fruit bloom, but peaches suffered from frost. Tent 

 caterpillars are doing some damage. Very little spraying is done, 

 but it is increasing. Farm help is very scarce, and there is very 

 little good help. Wages average $20 per month with board, and 

 $35 per month without board. IVIore corn will be raised for the 

 silo than usual. 



Danvers (C. H. Preston). — The season is from seven to ten 



