22 



and backward. All grass is looking well; fall seeding wintered well. 

 The apple bloom is just beginning to show, very light on winter apples; 

 pears bloomed well; no peaches; plums full; small fruits somewhat 

 winter-killed. The cold weather has kept all insects from doing much 

 harm. Planting is progressing very slowly. Farm help is scarce, and 

 less than 10 per cent of it is good help. Wages average from $20 to 

 $25 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. 



Rowley (D. H. O'Brien). — The season is cold and backward. Pas 

 tures and mowings look fairly well ; fall seeding wintered well. The 

 fruit bloom is below average, and has suffered from frosts. The 

 weather has been too cold for insects to be troublesome. Planting is 

 progressing slowly. Help is scarce, and not over one-quarter of it 

 good help. Wages average $22 per month with board and $1 . 50 per 

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

 farm crops. 



Wcnham (N. Porter Perkins). — We call the season quite back- 

 ward; seed of all kinds quite slow in germination. As a rule, grass is 

 quite forward, but there is not much feed in pastures. There is a fair 

 bloom on apples, but not many trees in full bloom; not much damage 

 from frost. Planting is not more than half done. Farm help is scarce, 

 and but a small part of it good help. Wages average $16 to $27 per 

 month with board and from $1 . 50 to $2 per day without board. 



Danvers (Chas. H. Preston). — The season is very backward. 

 Grass in pastures is light; mowings look well; fall seeding wintered 

 well. The bloom of apples and pears is good ; plums fair. An average 

 amount of planting has been done. Farm help is scarce. Wages 

 average $25 per month with board and $42 without board. There 

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



NORFOLK COUNTY. 



Norwood (Frank A. Fales). — The season is three weeks late. 

 Pastures and mowings are looking well, and fall seeding wintered 

 about as usual. The bloom of apples and pears about 50 per cent of 

 average; plums and small fruit very late; very little damage from 

 frosts. Very little planting has been done as yet. Farm help is very 

 scarce, and not more than 60 per cent of it can be called good help. 

 Wages range from $24 to $30 per month with board and average $1 . 75 

 per day without board. The acreage of potatoes will be decreased 30 

 per cent. A large number of pear trees have died from what is said to 

 be the San Jos6 scale. 



Walpole (Edward L. Shepard). — The season is below the normal, 

 being cold and backward. Pastures and mowings look well, and fall 

 seeding wintered well. Apples and pears half a bloom; no peaches; 

 plums light; strawberries and blueberries full; no frost as yet. Tent 

 caterpillars and a few brown-tail and gjqjsy moth caterpillars have 



