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of farm help. Wages range from $20 to $25 per month with board and 

 from $35 to $40 without board. There are no particular changes in the 

 acreage of farm crops. 



Warren (W. E. Patrick) . — The season is very backward, probably 

 two weeks. Pastures and mowings promise well ; fall seeding wintered 

 well. Small bloom on apples; none on peaches; pears full; other 

 small fruits fairly good. Weather too cold for insects. Planting is 

 progressing very slowly, as the ground is still too cold. Help is not 

 simply scarce, there is none to be had. Wages average $26 per month 

 with board. Much less acreage than usual in corn and potatoes, on 

 account of the scarcity of help. 



North Brookfield (John H. Lane). — The season is late and very cold. 

 Pastures and mowings promise well, and fall seeding wintered well. 

 The fruit bloom has not yet appeared. Insects are also still quiescent. 

 The season is so late that planting is progressing very slowly; farmers 

 seem to lack courage to put in hoed crops. Farm help is very scarce, 

 and not over one-tenth of it good help. Wages average $25 per month 

 with board and $1.75 per day without board. 



Dana (Lyman Randall) . — The season is very cold and backward ; 

 fully two weeks later than usual. Pastures and mowings are looking 

 well, and fall seeding wintered well. Apples have blossomed fairly full, 

 and other fruits have not; no injury from frosts as yet. Insects have 

 not appeared. Planting is two weeks behind the usual schedule. Farm 

 help is very scarce, and not over half of.it can be called good. Wages 

 range from $25 to $30 per month with board and from $40 to $45 per 

 month without board. More small fruits have been put in than usual. 



Hubbardston (Chas. C. Colby). — The season is nearly or quite 

 fifteen days late. Pastures and mowings are looking well, and there 

 promises to be a large hay crop. At this writing very few fruit trees 

 are in bloom. Insects have not appeared. Very little planting has 

 been done at this time. Farm help is scarce, with only a small portion 

 of it good help. Wages range from $20 to $26 per month with board 

 and from $1 . 50 to $2 per day without board. About the usual amount 

 of staple crops will be planted this season. 



Royalston (C. A. Stimson). — The season is cold and backward. 

 Pastures and mowings are in good condition ; fall seeding fairly good. 

 No fruit bloom as yet, except on plums. No insects doing damage. 

 Very little planting has been done. All help scarce, and one-tenth of 

 it good. Wages average $35 per month with board and $1 .75 per day 

 without board. There are no marked changes in the acreage of farm 

 crops. 



Fitchburg (Dr. Jabez Fisher). — Judged by the pear bloom, the 

 season is four days later than the average of fifty-one years. Pastures 

 and mowings look well. Apples and pears promise a smaller bloom 

 than last year; plums full bloom; no peaches. Insects make no show 

 as yet. Planting is progressing slowly. Good help is not plenty. 



