12 



NOTES OF CORRESPONDENTS. 



(Returned to us May 24.) 



BERKSHIRE COUNTY. 



New Marlborough (E. W. Rhoades). — Very cold April and May; 

 season ten days late. Fall seeding wintered well, and pastures and 

 mowings are good and thick. No peach bloom; other fruit trees will 

 bloom fairly well. No damage by insects as yet. Potatoes and gardens 

 mostly planted; corn ground ready to plant. Help by the month is 

 rather scarce; day help plenty, but second rate. Wages average $25 

 per month without board and from $35 to $40 with board, or $1 . 75 per 

 day. Perhaps more corn than usual will be planted. 



Monterey (Wm. S. Bidwell). — The season is backward. Pastures 

 and mowings look fairly well, and fall seeding wintered fairly well. 

 Very Httle fruit bloom as yet; probably considerable injury from 

 frosts. Planting is progressing very slowly. Farm help is very scarce, 

 and not over 10 per cent good. Wages average $25 per month with 

 board and $1.75 per day without board. There will be less acreage 

 of cultivated crops. 



Becket (Wm. H. Snow). — The season is late and cold. Fall seeding 

 wintered well, and grass in general looks well. No fruit bloom as yet. 

 No insects are doing damage. Planting is progressing very well. 

 Farm help is very scarce, and there is very little good help; it is 

 almost impossible to get help that can milk. Wages average from $20 

 to $25 per month with board and from $30 to $40 without. There 

 will be no marked changes in the acreage of farm crops. 



West Stockbridge (J. S. Moore). — The season is very backward. 

 Pastures and mowings look finely, fall seeding wintered well, and there 

 is a good hay crop promised. Cherries and plums in bloom; other 

 fruits not yet in bloom; no damage from frosts so far. No insects have 

 appeared. But httle planting has been done, except of potatoes. 

 Farm help is scarce, and of poor quality. Wages average from $25 to 

 $30 per month with board and $1 . 50 per day without. There will be 

 about the usual acreage of crops ; more milk produced than formerly. 



Hancock (B. H. Goodwirch). — The season is about two weeks late. 

 Grass looks well, but is backward. The fruit bloom is not sufficiently 

 advanced to enable one to predict in regard to it. No insects have 

 appeared. Much less planting than usual has been done. Farm help 

 is scarce, and quality average. Wages average $22 per month with 



