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late ; corn planting two weeks late. Farm help is scarce, and any help 

 that can be got good help. Wages range from $20 to $27 per month 

 with board and average $1.50 per day without board. 



Ashfield (Albert Howes). — The season is very cold and backward. 

 Mowings and pastures promise well, but are late in starting; fall seed- 

 ing wintered well. Apples and plums will blossom well; other fruits 

 not very full. Tent caterpillars are the most abundant insect ; damage 

 very slight as yet. Farm help is very scarce; 20 per cent good help. 

 Wages average $20 to $25 per month with board and from $1 .75 to $2 

 per day without board. Less corn will be planted than usual, on ac- 

 count of scarcity and high price of help. 



Whately (Frank Dickinson). — The season is late and cold. Pas- 

 tures and mowings are backward, but promise well. Apples are a full 

 bloom; some pear bloom; other fruits light. Very few insects as yet. 

 Planting has just begun. Farm help is scarce, and not more than one- 

 fourth of it good. Wages average from $20 to $27 per month with 

 board and from $35 to $40 without board. Rather more corn for silage 

 will be put in than usual. 



Montague (A. M. Lyman). — The season is two weeks late, and not 

 likely to catch up soon. Pastures and mowings are in fair condition; 

 fall seeding wintered well; clover much killed. Not over 25 per cent 

 of a full fruit bloom, hard frost of the 22d causing further injury. Not 

 much damage from insects as yet; tent caterpillars have appeared. 

 Potatoes have been planted, but planting is progressing very slowly. 

 Wages average $25 per month with board and $40 per month without 

 board. There will be about the usual acreage of farm crops. 



Erving (Chas. F. Clark) . — The season is more backward than 

 usual. The prospect is good for pastures and mowings, but fall seed- 

 ing did not winter well. There is an average fruit bloom, with no 

 damage from frosts. There is no damage from insects at present. 

 Planting is progressing slowly. Farm help is scarce, and half of it 

 good help. Wages average $20 per month with board and $1.50 per 

 day without board. 



New Salem (Daniel Ballard). — The season is very backward. 

 Pastures and mowings are looking fairly well, and fall seeding win- 

 tered well. Pear and peach bloom very light; full bloom of apples^ 

 all suffered somewhat from frosts. Tent caterpillars are very plenty. 

 Planting is progressing very slowly. Farm help is not plenty, but is 

 mostly good help. Wages range from $18 to $26 per month with 

 board and from $1 .50 to $2 per day without board. There will be the 

 usual acreage of farm crops. 



HAMPSHIRE COUNTY. 



Ware (J. H. Fletcher). — The season is late, as compared with 

 other years. Pastures and well-cared-for mowings are looking well. 

 The apple bloom will be large, but hard frosts may have done damage 



