21 



moth is proving very troublesome. The season is very backward. 

 Farm help is very scarce, and about one in five good help. Wages 

 range from $25 to $30 per month with board and average SI. 75 per 

 day without board. On account of scarcity of help, there will be a 

 decreased acreage of hoed crops. 



Concord (Wm. H. Hunt).- — The season is over a week late. Pas- 

 tures, mowings and fall seeding look well. Fruit trees have blossomed 

 full, and have not suffered from frost. It is rather early for damage 

 from insects. Planting is rather backward. Farm help is scarce, and 

 only a small proportion of it good. Wages average $25 per month 

 with board and $46 without. The acreage of crops grown will be much 

 the same as usual. 



Stoneham (J. E. Wiley). — The present season is very backward. 

 Pastures and mowings promise well, with rain; fall seeding wintered 

 well. Apples and pears show a good bloom, with no injury from frosts. 

 No insects have appeared as yet, but gypsy moth nests are very plenty 

 in the south part of the town. Planting is progi'essing very slowly. 

 Farm help is very scarce, and only a small part of it can be called good 

 help. Wages average $13 per month with board and $30 without 

 board. 



Newton (G. L. Marcy). — The season is backward and cold. Pas- 

 tures and mowings promise well, and fall seeding wintered well. There 

 is about the usual fruit bloom, and it has not suffered from frosts. No 

 insects are doing damage as yet. Planting is backward. There is no 

 help to be had. Wages range from $25 to $35 per month with board 

 and from $11 to $13 per week without board. There will be no special 

 changes in the acreage of farm crops. 



ESSEX COUNTY. 



Amesbury (F. W. Sargent).- — The season is three weeks or more 

 late. Pastures and mowings promise well. It is too early to answer 

 as to fruit bloom. No insects are doing damage at present. Planting 

 is progressing fairly well, though the ground is cold. Farmers are 

 getting some help from Boston agencies, but are not very well satisfied. 

 Wages average $25 monthly with board. There will be little change 

 in the acreage of farm crops; a few are experimenting with alfalfa. 



Groveland (A. S. Longfellow). — The season is two weeks later 

 than usual. Fall seeding is looking well, and pastures are starting well, 

 but are late. There is a good bloom of pears; apples and peaches 

 light; no damage from frost. Some tent caterpillars arid brown-tail 

 moths have appeared. Planting is well under way. Help is more 

 scarce than usual, and there is little good help. Wages range from 

 $20 to $25 per month with board and average $1.50 per day without 

 board. There are no marked changes in the acreage of farm crops. 



North Andover (Peter Holt). — This is a very late season, cold 



