UMASS/AMHERST 312066 0333 2582 0 :- , -^ JM^ 4 T m • •■•• a •* LIBRARY OF THE MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE No.__cLSi?_5! DATE.Jlr.lSaP. Source Eycb ♦ ft an$t... I88T Bulletin No. 1. MASSACHUSETTS CHOP EEPOET MONTH OF MAY, 1889^ THE ACREAGE AND CONDITION OF GROWING CROPS THE FIRST OF JUNE, AND OTHER MATTERS RELATING TO AGRICULTURE. COMPILED BY WM. R. SESSIONS, Secretary Board of Agriculture. BOSTON: Wright & Potter Printing Company, State Printers, 18 Post Office Square. 1889. 0 Tfer 5 % \ * 2^ CROP REPORT FOR THE MONTH OF MAY, 1889. Returned to the Office of the State Board of Agriculture, June 1, 1889. Office State Board of Agriculture, Boston, Mass , June 4, 1889. General Remarks. In presenting our first crop report, we would say that about the 20th of May we sent circulars for information to one hundred and seventeen formers scattered over the State, and that very satisfactory returns have been received from one hundred of them. In the "Notes of Correspond- ents" will be found some of these returns, which are samples of those received. In our circular the following questions were asked: 1. How much earlier is this season than the last? 2. What insects are doing the most damage in your vicinity? 3. Is good help plenty, and at what cost? 4. What is the outlook in your section ? The season averages about two weeks earlier than last. The cold, wet weather of the past two weeks has tended to overcome the unusual earliness of the season. The tent-caterpijlar ( Clisiocampa Americana) is reported as being unusually prevalent in many sections, and we have thought it best to describe its work and suggest methods of extermination. Mrs. Mary Treat, in her little work on the " Injurious Insects of the Farm and Garden," speaking of this caterpillar, says : — " The eggs from which these caterpillars hatch are depos- ited mostly during the month of June, in oval rings upon the smaller twigs ; and this peculiar mode of deposition ren- ders them conspicuous objects during the winter time, when by a little practice they can be easily distinguished from the buds, knots or swellings of the naked twigs. Each cluster consists of from two to three hundred eggs, and is covered and protected from the weather by a coating of glutinous matter. The young caterpillars commence spinning the moment they are born ; and, indeed, they never move with- out extending their thread wherever they go. All the indi- viduals hatched from the same batch of eggs work together in harmony, and each performs its share of building the common tent, under which they shelter when not feeding and during inclement weather. The small, bright and glis- tening web, if unmolested, is soon enlarged until it spreads over whole branches, and the caterpillars, which were the architects, in time become moths, and they lay their eggs for an increased supply of nests another year. No insect is more readily kept in subjection than this. Cut off and burn the egg-clusters during winter, and examine the trees care- fully in the spring for the nests from such clusters as may have eluded the winter search. The es^s are best seen in a dull day in winter, when they show distinctly against the sky. Though to kill the caterpillars numerous methods have been resorted to, such as burning, and swabbing with oil, soap suds, lye, etc., they are all unnecessary; for the nests should not be allowed to get large, and if taken when small, are most easily and effectually destroyed by going over the orchard with the fruit-ladder, and by the use of gloved hands. As the caterpillars feed twice a day, once in the forenoon and once in the afternoon, and as they are almost always in their nests till after 9 a.m., and late in the evening, the early and late hours of the day are the best in which to perform the operation." Good farm help appears to be rather scarce in many locali- ties, and commands on an average from twenty to twenty-two dollars per month, and board. The general outlook is good. There is promise of a large hay crop, although the dry weather the fore part of May checked the growth of grass in some places. This dry weather was very favorable for planting, and the seeds came up well. The wet, cold weather of the last of the month, while it has greatly helped grass, has had a bad effect on corn. In the table will be found figures showing the average acreage and condition of such crops as are most generally grown. On the last pages will be found an admirable paper by the chief of the Bureau of Statistics of Labor, on "Agriculture in Massachusetts." We trust that this bulletin will prove to be of value, and we shall be pleased to mail copies of it, on application. The Weather. Spring opened very favorably for the farmer, and the warm, dry weather of the first half of May enabled him to get his planting done in good shape. Rain set in the morning of the twentieth, and it has fallen more or less nearly every day since. Slight frosts occurred on the nights of the 20th, 27th, 2j. — Season eighteen days early. Tent-caterpillars are doing the most damage, (iood help rather more plenty than usual, at sixteen to twenty dollars per month, with board and washing. The canneries are doing only a small business, which gives rather a discouraging look for fanners. Apples are look- ing well, on such trees as bear this year ; but it is the " off year" for apples in this vicinity. Monroe Morse. 14 Norfolk. — Season three weeks early. Tent-caterpillars are present in large numbers. Good help not plenty; costs fifteen to twenty dollars per month. Outlook good. Have had enough rain, and need sunny days for best results. J. W. HlNKLEV. PLYMOUTH COUNTY. Halifax. — Season two weeks early. Caterpillars are doing the most damage. Good help not plenty ; costs one dollar and fifty cents per day. Outlook excellent. I have never seen a season when the outlook was better than the present for an excellent harvest. Grass is looking finely; and, with good weather to har- vest it, the barns will be filled. G. W. Hayward. Hanson. — Season two weeks early. The tent-caterpillar (Clis- iocampa Americana) I never saw half as plenty in town before. We did not have more of this caterpillar than usual last year, but in riding through Duxbury I saw a most wonderful sight. The road was fringed with cherry, etc., and the trees were completely covered with nests, which often extended on the grass around the tree eight or nine feet. We have them this year. Good help is not plenty ; costs one dollar and fifty cents per day. The out- look is good. Flavel S. Thomas, M. D. Kingston. — Season two weeks early. Cut worms and cater- pillars are our chief plagues at present. Good help is very scarce, and commands two dollars per day. The outlook is excellent. Plenty of nfln. Light frost the 27th, doing but little damage. J. H. CUSHMAN. Marshfield. — Season ten days early. The common caterpillar, in the cherry and orchard, is doing the most damage. Good help not plenty ; the best costs twenty-live dollars per month. The fore part of May was dry; the last, there have been heavy rains. Pastures in Plymouth County never looked better. The general prospect is good. G. J. Peterson. 15 Wareham. — Season two weeks early. Tent-caterpillars and cut worms are doing the most damage. Very hard to obtain good help at any price ; commands one dollar and fifty cents per day. Outlook best for many years. The season is very forward. Rather too wet for low and heavy land. No frosts in May. Grass the best we have ever known. A. Savary. West Bridgewater. — Season two weeks early. Tent-caterpillars, cabbage maggot and currant worms are doing the most damage. Good help is not plenty, at one dollar and fifty cents per day. Outlook good. The abundant rain of the past two weeks, follow- ing the warm, dry weather of the early spring, gives everything a freshness, and insures a good hay crop, I think. Davis Coeeeani). WORCESTER COUXTY. Auburn. — Season ten days early. Good help is not plenty, at twenty to twenty-five dollars per month. Crops on the whole are looking good. Strawberry plants badly winter killed. Corn looks yellow. W. F. Stone. Barre. — Season two weeks early. Good help not very plenty ; costs twenty to twenty-five dollars per month and board. Out- look good. The tendency here is to raise more corn, and espe- cially fodder, to help out the pastures. Two weeks ago the season was very much more in advance of the time a year ago, but the last two weeks have been so cold and rainy that there is not as much difference now. J. L. Smith. Blackstone. — Season two weeks early. Good help very scarce, and costs one dollar and one-quarter per day. The outlook is glutted markets and low prices. From the 21st of April to the 20th of May little or no rain fell, and farmers were able to get their planting done two weeks earlier than usual. Grass has been injured by too early ripening. Good farm hands are so scarce, and prices are so high, that farmers do their own work. L. R. Daniels. 16 Bolton. — Season ten days early. The asparagus beetle is the only insect troubling much yet, although potato bugs are plenty. There is do good help. Twenty dollars average wages per month". ( Mitlook good. We have had an abundance of rain, but not enough to do any damage. Seeds have come up this season fully as well as usual, although corn has rotted some 01; low land. Potatoes never looked better. II. F. Haynes. Dudley. — Season ten days early. The tent-caterpillar and "spit bug" are doing the most damage. Good help eighteen dollars per month with board, and one dollar and one-half per day without, for short jobs. We have a superabundance of tent-cater- pillars. A wild cherry upon the roadside, which is not thus orna- mented, is a rarity. The quality of not a few fields of grass will be affected by the attacks of the " spit bug" — a small yellow bug which conceals itself within a spittle-like froth. Its larva? eat into the seed stalk, causing it to die prematurely, and mak- ing it no better than so much straw. Generally the outlook is encouraging. J. J. GlLLES. Leominster. — Season two weeks early. The Colorado potato beetle, curculio and the tent-caterpillar have been numerous, but the rapid growth of leaves has saved from much injury. Good help plenty at one dollar and one-half per day and twenty dollars per month. Outlook favorable. The early part of May was remarkably warm. I think the hot sun had a bad effect on the pear blossoms, for, though the trees blossomed full, many varie- ties have but few pears on them. Our average precipitation for the past six years for May was 3.558 inches. This May we have had 4.31 inches. W. B. Hosmer. Mendon. — Season fully three weeks early. Tent-caterpillars are doing the most damage. Good help is in fair supply, at one dollar per day and board, or one dollar and one-half without. The season thus far has been very fine for the farmer, and some are ready for hoeing. Our farmers mowed and cured their rye and had a fair crop as early as the 15th. H. C. Adams. 17 New Braintree. — Season tea days early. White grubs are working quite badly iu some mowings. Help mostly foreign ; costs about twenty dollars per month. Outlook fine for grass and grain. There will be quite a crop of apples on odd-year trees. There is every indication now of a prosperous year for farmers ; most of them in this town send milk to Boston, and there is abundance of feed for their large herds of cows. More young stock is being raised than formerly. C. D. Sack. Petersham. — Season two weeks early. Currant worms, potato bugs and tent-caterpillars are doing the most damage. Good help not plenty ; costs one dollar and one-half to two dollars per day. Outlook very good. Moisture rather excessive ; but, temperature being warm, no crop suffers in consequence. S. B. Cook. Spencer. — Season fifteen days early. Tent-caterpillars, cur- rant worms and potato bugs are doing the most damage. Good help plenty, at one dollar and one-half per day. Outlook is good. High temperature during the first nineteen days of May, with light showers only on the 3d and 11th. The rest of the mouth mostly rainy, cloudy and cool. H. H. Kingsbury. Templeton. — Season two weeks early. Potato bugs, tent- caterpillars, squash bugs and currant worms are doing the most damage. Good help plenty at one dollar and a half per day and twenty to twenty-five dollars per month. Outlook favorable for crops ; low prices. Spring opened unusually early and warm. Dry up to May 18 ; since then, plenty of rain. The last two weeks cool. Planting nearly finished. Grass looks very well. Peaches winter killed. LUCIEN GOVE. Worcester. — Season two weeks early. Tent-caterpillars arc doing the most damage. Good help scarce, and costs twenty to twenty-five dollars per month. The first half of May was very hot, advancing the season fully three weeks. The last two weeks have b^en cold and rainy ; have set things backward, without par- ticularly injuring any crop. F. J. Kinnky. 18 W ■— H § C w pq O H (S O w P4 o o Q W H C C 4I aunf uo|i -ipuoo a3nja.\v igi "[ aunf uoi] -jpuoj ddBja.vy •I sunf uoij -ipiiOQ a^BjaAV -X aunf uoi} -tpUOO a3BJdAy oooooooooooo ©©OOOOOOQOOO 1 o o •< O ■JB3A JSBT m!M paJBd -raoj aSsa-toy ©»OI-~C:©OOOrHOiO© ©OOOOOOOOOt-i© 1 o o rH « -I OUllf UOIJ -lpuoj aSBJdAy oooooocooo |coo ©oooooc^oo oo i— li— irli— ii-ii—I.tHi-I t-H 1 o o « •JB3A }SBrI HIIav p a j b d -uio,) aSsa-iay OO^ONoooooa I «oco ooaooooooa oo 1 CO en bc*o c « * u o.-3 •suanpa J" -tafitniix otoortooaofflHcoooio r£= H » a S M .9 Jl 8 •* tf' a jd ■£ X B a a a ^3 •£ =oc IOOGOOO loo IN oao © © o © © oo 05 rl rH n r-l MH rH rH 3 < - ■\ ailllf 1101} -ipuoj adBJdAy •<# O (M liOOOCOCO | LOO |iO csooo cc o o a o) oo os tH I— 1 i— t t-H td S - •< -I aunp uoii -ipuoj eSBJOAy O'OO 1 IOO ON I CO 1 IO oao © © © oo o o 1-1 T— rlHr-l 00 z. - < t aunp uoij -ipuoo eduid.iy OnO 1 © © O » G. A. Rogers. Worcester. — AVhite grubs and curculios arc doing the most damage. The strawberry-flea is doing considerable damage to old beds. Haying commenced June 24. Hay crop in quantity about the same as last year, but the quality is not up yet. Out- look better than it was June 1. No good apples, and but few wormy ones. The prospect is poor for early potatoes, and the grass crop is not as heavy as people expected it was going to be. Corn is looking very nicely, and the pastures and stock are (inc. F. J. 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PSiH 8*» II 3 ►J © © co co © co 1—1 1 -+©©©© OS © © © © i-H i-H i-H i-H 1 © © © © i-H i-H 1 CO OS 03 © © © os © cs 1-H 1 CO © © © © OS © © © © 1-H i-H ,-H i-H 1 © © © © 1-H ,-H 1 © © 1-H •siunjoji ;o aaquuiN ^HlOCO©COi-HCO©CO l-H i-H 1— 1 "O CO © l<0 (M 00 H p o i — ' 0) . . . ,. <- 'it X ■2. a s s^ r O i- r" 5H S ° 2 -a '« e "3 6! ■a OS ew S-. 03 - 3 Tl OJ H cd Tl a « sd p< 5 O ^ - s o g g a. -* cs >o -o O 03 .*-< ft 'rs "-' lO u Fh (> 03 s 0 )>, as = ♦J 03 j g^- "^ o 5 &s 'H rO O OS 0J ADDENDA. At the sixty-second Institute of the Essex Agricultural Society, held at Topsfield, Dec. 28, 1888, the afternoon subject considered was, " Whittier, the Poet of our New England Homes," and his influence upon the homes of our farmers. President Ware, in introducing the essayist, spoke of agri- culture furnishing special inspiration for poetic thoughts, and said that Whittier was to the farmers of New England what Burns was to Scotland. It was unanimously voted that the Secretary send the fol- lowing greeting from the Society to the poet, Whittier : — Dear Friend : — The farmers of Essex County send greeting", their most hearty congratulation upon the health of body and mental vigor with which you have reached and passed your eighty- first birthday. We also congratulate you that, in the good providence of our Heavenly Father, you have been preserved to see the time when your poems are read and prized by every nation on the globe ; and we, your neighbors and friends, rejoice with you, as we con- template the marvellous power of your words upon all classes of our fellowmen, both in peace and war ; and we beg to assure you that in no places are your poems read with more interest and pleasure, or your words of tenderest love cherished with a purer admiration, than in the homes of the farmers of your native county of Essex. They also express the hope that your life may long be preserved to shed its hallowed influence upon the world. The receipt of the same was acknowledged by the poet by the following letter : — Oak Knoi.t,, Danveks, 12 mo., 30, 1888. David W. Low, Esq., Secretary Essex County Agricultural Society. Dear Friend: — Thy letter conveying the congratulations and kind wishes of the Essex County Agricultural Society at its meet- ing on the 2perell. — Outlook is good for a full crop of corn. Small fruits, except strawberries, have been satisfactory in yield and price. Have not observed any rot or scab in potatoes yet. Hay- ing began about July 1 and the weather was very favorable until within the past ten days. The majority of the farmers are done haying. The hay crop met expectations in quantity but not in quality. The pear crop will be a large one, especially the Clapp variety. Not many early market apples in this section. P. J. Kemp. Wilmington. — The prospect for a good crop of corn is excel- lent. Small fruits have been satisfactory in yield and price. Potatoes are good in quality and are selling at $2.2.") per barrel. No complaint of rot yet. Yield of hay large, quality good. Very poor prospect for a crop of early market apples. Meadows very wet. C. W. Swain. NANTUCKET COUNTY. Nantucket. — Splendid outlook for a corn crop. Potatoes are rotting badly. The barns are full of good hay. All of the oats were cut for fodder and the yield was extra. Worms are troubling early cabbages, but I have destroyed the green worm by putting one teaspoonful of fine salt into the middle of each head. C. W. ( rARDNER. 14 NORFOLK COUNTY. Dover. — Small fruits have been satisfactory in yield but not in price. Grapes promise a good full crop. The corn crop promises to be good and large. On low spongy land it looks badly; on high dry land it is above the average. Have not observed any rot or scab yet. The hay crop was above the average in quantity and quality and was harvested with very little injury from rain. Prospect for a crop of early market apples not very good in this section. Weeds are the great pest of the farmer this year. Beans are injured hy rain, rust and weeds. The fate of the crops will depend upon the weather in August. S. M. Colcoui). Hyde Park. — Outlook very good for a corn crop. Price of small fruits good but crop small. Have observed little rot or scab in potatoes. The hay crop met expectations in quantity but not in quality. Very poor prospect for a crop of early market apples. Grapes and some other fruits have been considerably injured by hail, and there is danger that continued rainy weather may interfere with their quality when ripening. R. M. Johnson. Norfolk. — Very good prospect for a corn crop. Small fruits very satisfactory in yield and price. Potatoes are rotting some. Excessive wet weather has made the prospect for a crop of late potatoes very doubtful. Hay crop exceeded expectations in quantity and quality. Good prospect for a crop of early market apples. Wet weather has made it next to impossible to kill weeds. J. W. HlNKLEY. Weymouth. — Outlook for a corn crop not very good. Small fruits early to come, quick to go ; prices good. Have not observed any scab or rot in potatoes. The hay crop met expectations in quantity and quality. Crops would be in better condition if we had had less rain the past month, especially corn and late pota- toes. A seven; hail storm the middle of the month did considera- ble damage in this vicinity. J. G. HUTOIIINS. PLYMOUTH COUNTY. Halifax. — Except on high land the outlook for a corn crop is very poor. Small fruits have not been satisfactory in yield and price. Potatoes promised a large crop until about two weeks ago, when rust struck them and they all died in a week. It has rained almost every day since and some say they are rotting. The farmers in this town have grown and housed the largest crop of hay ever grown in town before. G. W. Haywaim). Marslifield. — Sunny days and warm nights through August will make certain a good corn crop in Plymouth County. The hay crop is below the average in quality. Have not observed any scab or rot in potatoes. Small fruits have been hardly an average in yield and price. Rather poor outlook for a crop of early market apples. They are selling for two dollars a bushel. G. J. Peterson. Middleborough. — Outlook good for a corn crop. Small fruits have been satisfactory in yield and price. A little rot and scab in potatoes. The hay crop has not met expectations in quantity and quality. Good prospect for a crop of early market apples. A. H. Eaton. West Bridgewater. — Outlook good for acorn crop. Prices of small fruits good, but yield only about three-fourths of a full crop. Potatoes are rotting badly. Hay crop has more than met expec- tations in quantity and quality. English hay is all cut and housed, in good condition generally. Vegetables are cheap and plenty. Not a very good prospect for a crop of early market apples. Davis Copeland. \V< mCESTEIl COUNTY. Havre. — Fair prospect for a corn crop. Potatoes are looking finely and will yield well if the rust does not damage them. Some rot and scab. Hay crop more than met expectations in quantity but not in quality. Oats are rusting badly. Apples not plenty and quite poor. J. L. Smith. Berlin. — Outlook good for a corn crop. With the exception of strawberries, small fruits have been satisfactory in yield and price. Have not observed any rot or scab in potatoes, but blight has begun to appear. Corn and potatoes are looking finely, but we are having an abundance of wet weather and it is difficult to say what the results may be. Considerable grass is still standing, 16 and some of that cut was put into the barns in bad condition. Very poor prospect for a crop of early market apples. P. B. South wick. Boylston. — Good outlook for a corn crop. Small fruits have been satisfactory in yield and price. Have not observed any scab or rot in potatoes. The hay crop has met expectations in quan- tity and quality. Prospect rather light for a crop of early market apples. Very wet in this vicinity, with frequent heavy showers. I. A. Dunn. Leominster. — Outlook good for a corn crop. Small fruits have been satisfactory in yield and price. There are indications of blight on the potato vines, and the wet muggy weather we are now having will probably bring on the rot. On old ground the scab is working. Mildew and rot are affecting some varieties of grapes. The season has been unfavorable for securing the hay crop and some fields yet remain to be cut. On fields cut early the quantity and quality were good, and from them a heavy crop of rowen will be secured. Our rainfall for the month of July was 8.0o inches. Average rainfall for month for six years 4.60 inches. W. B. Hosmer. Lunenburg. — Good prospect for a corn crop. Small fruits have been satisfactory in yield and prices fair. The mouth past has not been as favorable to crops as it usually is. Much hay is yet to be gathered on account of cloudy and rainy weather. Pota- toes are looking well at present, and if the weather is favorable I think there will be a large crop. Small prospect for a crop of early market apples. James Hildretii, 2d. New Braintree. — Too cold and wet for corn. Outlook for a crop fair. Some fields of potatoes are blighting and rotting. Hay crop up to expectations in quantity but not in quality. Prospect fair for a crop of early market apples. The unusual amount of rainy weather has not only delayed haying and harvesting, but has injured the quality of the hay ; about ruined the oat crop ; is causing potatoes to blight and rot ; and has made it almost impos- sible to keep the crops free of weeds. Feed is excellent in pas- tures, and on the whole the season will be quite a prosperous one for farmers. C. 1). Sack. 17 Oakham. — Corn looks well. There is a large growth of fodder, and with good weather a large crop of grain will be harvested. The hay crop more than met expectations in quantity and quality. On account of wet weather a large quantity of grass remains to be cut. The prospect for a crop of rowen on fields that were mown was never better. Prospect not very good for a crop of early market apples. The prospect for potatoes is good unless the blast strikes them. It will be something wonderful if potatoes do not rot, for we have not had so much rain at this time of the year for years. "W. M. Robinson. Petersham. — Poor outlook for a corn crop; too much wet; some rust. Small fruits have been satisfactory in yield and price. Have not observed any rot or scab in potatoes. Continuous wet weather has spoiled a good deal of hay and greatly delayed cut- ting. Some farmers are not half done and the crop is over- ripe. Where the first crop of hay was cut off early there promises to be a heavy crop of rowen. Poor prospect for a crop of early market apples. Oats and barley are rusting badly. S. B. Cook. Southhorough. — Outlook good for a corn crop and it is earing well. Potatoes yield better than usual but are rotting a little in some fields. The hay crop was an average in quantity and that cut early was of good quality. The pastures are looking the best for years. Prospect for a rather light crop of early market apples. E. F. Collins. Worcester. — Outlook good for a corn crop. Small fruits have not been satisfactory in yield and price. Have observed rot and seal) in potatoes. Hay crop has not met expectations in quantity and quality. The quality has been much injured by frequent and excessive rains. Prospect good for a crop of early market apples. S. A. 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Worcester, read the past winter before the Chamberlain Dis- trict Farmers' Club of Worcester, taken from the "Massachu- setts Spy." According to the theory of the common law, the owner in fee of a piece of land has absolute dominion over it, not only on its surface, but from the highest heavens above it to the centre of the earth beneath it, but practically every owner of land soon finds out that he holds it as a trust for the society at large. He is not permitted to create or allow anything like a private or a public nuisance on his land, but he is liable to have it taken for quaran- tine grounds and the dwelling thereon for a pest house. He is liable to have it flowed against his consent for mill or factory 1 imposes. It may be taken from him for a park or a cemetery, for a highway or a railroad, for a reservoir or a sewage farm, for a post-office or a school-house, or for some other public use. He is also liable to have his premises run over and damaged by hunters, fishermen, pedestrians and fruit and crop marauders. As the law now stands every person who enters upon the land of another without his express or implied consent commits a civil trespass, whether the laud be enclosed or not, and although no material injury be done, for which damages may be recovered in a civil action ; and if a person, without a farmer's permission, wilfully cuts down, carries away, girdles or otherwise destroys any of his trees, timber, wood or underwood, the farmer can re- cover of him in a civil suit three times the amount of the dam- ages he has done. But fortunately the farmer is not compelled to rely wholly upon the civil law for redress, for frequently the tres- passer upon his land and crops is impecunious and wholly unable to pay his grocery bills, and would cut a sorry figure in trying to satisfy an execution for three times the amount of his depredations upon somebody's land. Although it cannot be said with truth 21 that the farmer is a great favorite of the law, yet the law makes it a criminal offence for a person to commit certain kinds of tres- passes upon his premises. There is a belief or impression among many people in the com- munity that, by reason of custom or otherwise, they have a right to hunt or fish over another's ground as they please, to pick berries in his pasture or fruit and flowers by his roadside ; but, as a mat- ter of fact, they are very imperfectly informed as to the law. In all streams not navigable, and in all ponds of less than ten acres in area, the right to fish belongs exclusively to the person owning the adjoining land. And a person has no more right to hunt on a farmer's ground than he has to play base ball or cricket thereon. He has no more right to pick berries, fruit and flowers on the far- mer's roadside than in the farmer's fields. The trespasser who picks berries in pasture land or fruit by the wayside is liable not only to the land-owner himself, but furthermore, those who buy and consume berries and fruit so picked are also liable to the land- owner for the fair value of the amount they thus purchase and consume. And it makes no difference that they buy the same in good faith, and pay the trespasser therefor, for by assuming ownership and dominion over the property they render themselves liable in trover to the true owner. Whoever wilfully and malic- iously burns or otherwise destroys or injures a farmer's wood pile, or his fences, bars or gates, or his hay, grain or other vegetable products, whether severed from the soil or not, or his standing trees or his soil, is liable to imprisonment in the state prison for five years, or to a fine of five hundred dollars. Whoever wilfully and maliciously throws down or opens a farmer's gate, bars or fence, and leaves the same down or open ; or whoever wilfully and maliciously enters a farmer's orchard, garden or field, and steals and carries away without the owner's consent any fruit or flowers ; or whoever wilfully commits a trespass by entering upon the orchard, garden or other improved land of a farmer, without his permission, with the intention to cut, injure or carry away the trees, grain, grass, hay, fruit or vegetables there growing or being, is liable to be punished by imprisonment in the house of correction for six months, or by fine not exceeding five hundred dollars. In these cases, in order to secure the conviction and punishment of the offender, it is necessary to prove that he committed the offence wilfully and maliciously and with malice aforethought, as it were ; but from the first day of April to the first day of Decem- ber in each year the law assists the farmer in the protection of his orchard, garden, mowing land, or any of his other improved or enclosed land, by enabling him to prove the wilfulness of any 22 trespass thereon, by showing that he has forbidden the same, either directly or by a notice posted upon the premises. Any person who trespasses upon such improved or enclosed laud between those dates, after he has been forbidden so to do, by notice given him directly or by posting, as aforesaid, is liable to be arrested on the spot by a sheriff, deputy sheriff, constable, watchman or any police officer, and kept in any convenient place for twenty-four hours, if necessary, until a complaint can be made against him for the offence, and then he is liable to be further punished by a fine of twenty dollars. Iu such case, if the owner or occupant of the land does not happen to be an officer or watch- man, he may order the intruder to leave the premises, and if he refuses or neglects to go, he may then use so much force as is necessary to compel him to depart. The law furnishes protection to the farmer agaiust the disfig- urement of his fences, buildings and trees by the poster adver- tisements of showmen, quacks and traders of all kinds of wares and merchandise, for it is a criminal offence for any one to paint, put upon, or in any manner affix to any fence, structure, rock or other natural object, the property of another, any words, device, trade-mark, advertisement or notice, without first obtaining the consent of the owner of such property. In these times, when so many land-owners are removing their road fences, it is important for such owners and the drivers of domestic animals upon the highway to know their legal rights in the premises. It is well known that the law does not require any one to build a road fence, and if he does so he does it for his own protection and convenience alone. Yet the highways have been set apart, among other things, that cattle and other domes- tic animals may be driven thereon, and as, from the nature of such animals, it is impossible, even with care, to keep them always within the limits of the way unless the adjoining land is properly fenced, it follows that when they are driven along the road with care and diligence, and then escape upon adjoining land and do damage, their owner is not liable therefor, provided he makes reasonable efforts to remove them as speedily as pos- sible. But this does not justify any one in trying to drive wild and unruly animals loose upon the road, or of attempting to drive any animals along the way without sufficient help to keep them within the limits of the highway on all ordinary occasions, whether it is fenced or not, consequently if a driver or other per- son allows his animals to escape from the limits of the road and trespass on the adjoining land of a farmer he must either pay the farmer's damages or be prepared to show that they resulted 23 through no fault of his. The farmer has a right to drive off his premises any animals which he finds trespassing thereon. He may drive them into the highway and so far along the highway as necessary to keep them off his land, unless they came upon his land through a defective fence which it was his duty to keep in repair, in which case he had better drive them back upon their owner's land and fix up the fence to meet the requirements of the law. Should he prefer, he may take such trespassing animals to the town pound or other suitable place, giving them sufficient food and water and notifying their owner of his doings, and why they have been impounded, and stating the amount of his dam- ages, and of his charges for feeding them ; and then, if the owner of the animals does not claim them and pay the damages and charges, they may be sold by public auction and the proceeds of the sale applied to the payment of the damages and charges. But the farmer has no right to kill or injure animals which he finds doing damage upon his land, unless they are in pursuit of his own animals, and there is a reasonable ground to apprehend that they will attack and injure them, in which case he has the right to kill the attacking animals, if necessary, to protect his own. It used to be supposed, and some people still labor under the impression, that a person has the right to kill fowls, cats, dogs, hogs and such animals, when found trespassing on his premises, provided he tosses the dead carcasses over the fence upon their owner's land ; but the law does not justify any such proceeding, even if notice of an intention to kill is given to the owner of the animals prior to their trespasses. A person annoyed by trespassing ani- mals may seek redress in damages of their owner or by a criminal complaint against him; but if he wilfully or maliciously kills, wounds, maims or poisons any domestic animal, or exposes any poisonous substances with intent that the life of any such animal shall be destroyed thereby, he is liable to imprisonment in the state prison for ten years or a fine of five thousand dollars. When the owner or occupant of land finds himself annoyed beyond endurance by the trespass of his neighbors' animals, the proper and reasonable thing for him to do is to post up a notice on his land, or what is better, notify the owner of the animals in writing, that he forbids the further trespassing of his animals upon his land, and then such owner is liable to a fine of ten dollars for each subsequent trespass of his animals. A farmer has a right to guard and protect his premises against thieves and trespassers by the reasonable use of watch-dogs, especially in the night-time, but he has no right to keep a ferocious dog on his premises unless he is kept chained, and even then his owner would be held liable if he 24 should bite a person who should chance to go within his reach. A farmer has a right to protect his land against the trespass of grow- ing trees on adjoining land by cutting off all protruding roots and overhanging branches, up to the line of his land, but he must not convert them to his own use unless he is willing to pay the owner of the trees the fair value of the roots and branches for firewood or other purposes. But if the owner of real estate allows the branches of his neighbor's trees to grow out over his premises he is not entitled to any of the fruit that may grow thereon, as the fruit upon the branches of every tree belongs to the owner of the trunk of the tree. A farmer has a right also to protect his land from all surface water if he can do so by raising the grade of his land or by the erection of embankments thereon. He may even stop up the mouth of a culvert built by a town across the road for the purpose of conducting surface water upon his land, but he must be careful in so doing not to exceed the limits of his own land. It will thus be seen that while the farmer holds his land under certain restrictions and limitations, he yet has many rights as well as liabilities under our trespass laws. Bulletin No. 4. MASSACHUSETTS OEOP EEPOET MONTH OF AUGUST, 1889, SHOWING THE CONDITION OF GROWING CROPS THE FIRST OF SEPTEMBER, AND OTHER MATTERS RELATING TO AGRICULTURE. COMPILED BY WM. R. SESSIONS, Secretary Board of Agriculture. BOSTON: Wright & Potter Printing Company, State 'Printers, 18 Post Office Square. 1889. CROP REPORT FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST, 1889. Returned to the Office of the State Board of Agriculture Sept. 1, 1889. Office State Board of Agriculture, Boston, Mass., Sept. 4, 1889. General Remarks. We herewith present our crop report for the month of August. In the circular sent to our correspondents about the 20th of August, the following questions were asked : 1. What is the prospect for winter apples, in quantity and quality? 2. Is the acreage of meadow land reseeded in the fall increasing in your locality? 3. What is the pros- pect for late potatoes, and have you observed rot or scab? 4. Is the amount of corn grown for ensilage purposes increasing in your vicinity, and what varieties are preferred ? About ninety returns have been received, samples of which will be found printed in the "Notes of Correspondents." From these returns we learn that there will be about half a crop of winter apples of rather poor quality. On the whole, the acreage of meadow land reseeded in the fall is increasing. The wet weather of July and the early part of August caused potato vines to blight badly. Rot quickly fol- lowed, and there will not be over half a crop of potatoes. Those that were nearly ripe before the blast struck them were good and rotted but little. Those planted late and only about half matured when the blast came are almost a total failure. Many fields will not be worth digging. The warm, dry weather of the past two weeks has had a tendency to keep the rot from spreading. Scab has also been preva- lent this season. The amount of corn grown for ensilage purposes appears to be increasing in most localities. The Southern white variety seems to be the one most generally preferred. Celery has rusted badly in some sections but is now fast recovering. The corn crop promises to be a good one. In some sections blight has struck the corn fields and some of them are reported as almost worthless. Corn cut- ting has commenced, although most of the crop needs fully a week of warm, dry weather. The tobacco crop was in general a very good one and was harvested in excellent con- dition. Some damage was done to the crop by rust and fleas. On land where the first crop of grass was taken off early the rowen crop is very large and much of it has been secured in excellent shape. Pastures are holding out well. Fruits of all kinds are inferior both in quantity and quality. In the table will be found figures showing the averages of crops by counties. On the last pages will be found an extract from an address delivered at the Forty-Seventh Annual Fair of the Housatonic Agricultural Society by Rev. F. H. Rowley of North Adams. Copies of this bulletin will be mailed on application. The Weather. The first half of the month of August was marked by cloudy, muggy weather with occasional light rains. The last half was warm and dry. No rain has fallen for the past two weeks, and in some sections it is now very much needed. This warm, dry weather following so long a period of wet weather has caused vegetation of all kinds to mature rapidly and everything to put on a fall-like appearance. The rainfall for the month was rather below the average. At Amherst it was 2.35 inches; at Leominster, 3.68; at Boston, 3.95; and at Monroe, 4.18 inches. The average rainfall at Amherst for the month of August for the past twenty years was 3.92 inches. There was a slight frost at Chester on the 29th, and at Templeton, on low land not pro- tected by fog, on the 28th and 29th. Through the kindness of the director of the Hatch Experiment Station of the Massachusetts Agricultural College, we are enabled to print the summary of the meteorological observatory at Amherst for the month of August. Latitude, 42° 23' 48.5" N. Longitude, 72° 3V 10" W. Height of instruments above ground, 51 feet. Above sea level, 260 feet. Pressure. — In inches. Actual Maximum Reading, 30.150 ; Mean, Reduced to 32° F., 29.718; Monthly Range, 0.540. Air Temperature. — In Degrees F. Mean, 65.5° ; High- est, 82° ; Lowest, 45° ; Monthly Range, 37° ; Highest Mean Daily, 74 3° ; Lowest Mean Daily, 59.5° ; Mean Maximum, 75°; Mean Minimum, 56.9°; Mean Daily Range, 18.1°; Greatest Daily Range, 31°. Humidity. — Mean Dew Point, 59.5; Mean Relative Humidity, 80.4° ; Mean Force Vapor, .6591. Wind. — Prevailing Directions, North, North-east, South- west; Total Movement, 2,811 miles; Greatest Daily Movement, 213 miles — 2d; Least Daily Movement, 16 miles — 30th; Mean Daily Movement, 91 miles; Mean Hourly Velocity, 3.8 miles; Maximum Pressure per Square Foot, 6.5 pounds = 36 miles per hour, on the 14th, at 3 p M. Precipitation. — In inches. Total, 2.35 inches. Bright Sunshine. — Number of Hours recorded, 194. Weather. — Mean Cloudiness on a Scale of 10, 4.3; Number of Clear Days, 7 ; Number of Cloudy Days, 12 ; Number of Fair Days, 12 ; Total Cloudiness Recorded by Sun Thermometer, 221 hours, or 53.4 per cent. Thunder and Lightning, 2d, 14th and 23d. Halo, Lunar, 4th. Wind followed by Rain, 9th. NOTES OF CORRESPONDENTS. BARNSTABLE COUNTY. Dennis. — Very poor prospect for a crop of winter apples. The acreage of meadow land reseeded in the fall is not increasing in this locality, neither is the amount of corn grown for ensilage pur- poses. August was a very wet month in this vicinity. In some localities potatoes are quite badly rotted. Corn is looking well, but needs warm dry weather to mature. Cranberries are looking well, but are below the average in quantity. -r p Eastham. — There will be a fair crop of winter apples. Acreage of meadow land reseeded in the fall not increasing in this locality. Late potatoes will be a partial failure, on account of rot. No silos in this vicinity, but ensilage corn is grown somewhat for feeding purposes. Varieties preferred are sweet and Southern. J. A. Clark. Falmouth. — Winter apples twentj^-five per cent in quantity; quality good. Acreage of meadow land reseeded in the fall is in- creasing in this locality. Poor prospect for a crop of late potatoes, as rot and scab are plenty. Amount of corn grown for ensilage purposes is increasing in this vicinity. I think the Southern varieties are preferred. This has been a very trying season for vegetation, with all manner of insects to eat and destroy, and with mildews and blights on almost all varieties of fruits and yeSetables' D. R. Wicks. BERKSHIRE COUNTY. Cheshire. — Winter apples off sixty per cent; quality not as good as last year. I think there is more land reseeded in the fall than formerly. The prospect for late potatoes is not very flatter- ing, and there will probably be only half a crop. The amount of ensilage corn seems to be on the increase. No rain for the past two weeks and it is getting to be very dusty. L. J. Northdp. Sheffield. — Acreage of meadow land reseeded in the fall is not increasing in this locality. Potato fields have blasted, without an exception, and the potatoes are rotting. Amount of corn grown for ensilage purposes is increasing in this vicinity. Corn has come forward fast and bids fair to be a better crop than was anticipated. Buckwheat is looking finely. The apple crop is poor, both in quantity and quality. H. T. Cande. Windsor. — The quality of winter apples is good, but the quantity is small. Do not think the acreage of meadow land reseeded in the fall is increasing in this vicinity. Very poor prospect for a crop of late potatoes, as they are rotting badly. We need rain very much, for the streams are very low, and the top of the ground is dry and dusty. H. A. Ford. BRISTOL COUNTY. Mansfield. — About half a crop of winter apples of fair quality. Acreage of meadow land reseeded in the fall is increasing in this locality. The potato crop would have been large, but they have rotted very badly and there will not be over half a crop that can be used. No change for a year or two in amount of corn grown for ensilage purposes. Rowen is heavy, but weather unfavorable for securing the crop. D. E. Harding. New Bedford. — Quantity of winter apples small and quality poor. Acreage of meadow land reseeded in the fall is increasing in this locality. Prospect for late potatoes very poor, owing to scab and rot. Five silos are being built near here. Southern white corn is used for ensilage. Millet and fodder corn are look- ing well, except on very wet land. Have had no heavy wind to damage them. G. A. Potter. Raynham. — Not more than half a crop of winter apples and those of poor quality. Acreage of meadow land reseeded in the fall is increasing to some extent in this locality. Very poor pros- pect for a crop of late potatoes, as they are rotting badly. No corn is grown for ensilage purposes in this vicinity. The hay on the fresh meadows will not be secured this season, on account of the rain. Rowen is heavy, but no weather to cure it. The leaves of grape vines are turning and dropping off, and making it uncertain about the crop coming to maturity. N. W. Shaw. 8 Somerset. — Poor prospect for a crop of winter apples. Acre- age of meadow laud reseeded in the fall is increasing in this local- ity. From one-third to one-half the potato crop has rotted in the ground. Amount of corn grown for ensilage purposes is increas- ing in this vicinity. Sweet corn is preferred. Corn looks very promising. This season will not be a profitable one for farmers. Joseph Gums. Swanzey. — About half a crop of winter apples of good quality. Acreage of meadow land reseeded in the fall is increasing in this locality. About half a crop of potatoes and some rot. There is not as much corn grown for ensilage purposes as formerly. The first half of August was very wet. Celery rusted very badly, but is now recovering. The rowen crop is good. J. E. ESTABROOKS. DUKES COUNTY. ChilmarJc. — Quantity of winter apples small ; quality good. Acreage of meadow land reseeded in the fall is increasing in this locality. Some rot in potatoes. No corn grown for ensilage. B. T. HlLLMAN. ESSEX COUNTY. Haverhill. — Quantity of winter apples small; quality poor. Acreage of meadow land reseeded in the fall is increasing in this locality. Fair crop of late potatoes, but some rot. Early pota- toes have been dug, and were rotted considerably on low ground. Amount of corn grown for ensilage purposes is increasing in this vicinity. Southern white variety preferred. Rowen is being cut and cured. E. Webster. Ipswich. — Rye yielded about 28 bushels to the acre, a full yield being 42 bushels. Corn is earing out fast and well, and the indications are that the crop will be a full one. Farmers have cut their salt hay and cured it in good shape. Rowen was unusually good and was secured in the best of condition. The potato crop is damaged about one-half. 0. C. Smith. Manchester. — About half a crop of winter apples. Acreage of meadow land reseeded in the fall is not increasing in this locality. Poor prospect for a crop of late potatoes. Do not think the amount of corn grown for ensilage purposes is increasing in this vicinity. "We prefer the Southern white. I think on the whole it has been a poor year for the farmer. John Baker. Marblehead. — Poor prospect for a crop of winter apples. Acre- age of meadow land reseeded in the fall is not increasing in this locality. Three-quarters of the potato crop have rotted. The amount of corn grown for ensilage purposes has more than doubled the past two years. Southern white is planted by many. Squashes have not set well and cabbage fields look ragged. The present prospect for the average farmer is very uninviting. It now looks as though many an account would balance on the wrong side. W. S. Phillips, Jr. Neiobury. — Very small crop of winter apples of fair quality. Acreage of meadow land reseeded in the fall is increasing in this locality. Poor prospect for a crop of late potatoes, owing to rot and scab. Amount of corn grown for ensilage purposes is decreas- ing in this vicinity. G. W. Adams. North Andover. — Poor prospect for winter apples, both in quantity and quality. The acreage of meadow land reseeded in the fall is largely increasing every year. Late potatoes are a total failure. The amount of corn grown for ensilage increases some. The varieties most planted are Blount and Learning. Many believe the white Southern as good as either. Owing to wet weather all ensilage corn is small, and in some places not more than half a crop will be obtained. Rowen is being secured in good order. There is still some meadow hay standing. Peteu Holt, Jr. FRANKLIN COUNTY. Ashjleld. — Prospect not very good for winter apples. Think the acreage of meadow land reseeded in the fall is increasing in this locality. Prospect not good for late potatoes. Amount of corn grown for ensilage purposes increasing slowly, but only a few grow it. Hardly any corn has been cut and not much rowen. A. G. Howes. 10 Bernards/on. — The crop of winter apples will fall a little short of an average, but the quality will be better than last year. Late potatoes will be a failure, owing to blight and rot. The amount of corn grown for ensilage purposes is increasing in this vicinity. 1\. II. CUSHMAN. Monroe. — About half a crop of winter apples; quality fair. Blast killed potatoes early in the month and late planted ones, in many fields, will not be worth digging. No ensilage put up in this section, though considerable corn is grown for fall feeding. But little io\\ en is cut on the mountain farms. Corn has gained some during the past ten days of warm, dry weather, and, if early frosts do not interfere, may be a fair crop. Mean temperature for the month, 61.29. Rainfall, 4.18 inches. Wm. H. Allen. Montague. — Apple crop very light. Acreage of meadow land reseeded in the fall not increasing in this locality. About half a crop of late potatoes. Amount of corn grown for ensilage pur- poses is increasing every year. It is generally thought that our Northern corn makes the best ensilage. The dry weather of the past two weeks has caused onions to cure off quickly and pre- vented rot, which seemed the probable result two weeks ago. Corn is ripening rapidly and the prospect is good for an excellent crop. C. S. Raymond. North field. — Very few winter apples and they are defective. Acreage of meadow land reseeded in the fall is increasing in this locality. Potatoes are rotting badly, especially those planted late on moist land. The amount of corn grown for ensilage is about the same as for the past three years. Sweet corn is most used. Crop of rowen better than for several years, both in quantity and quality. Charles Pomeroy. Sunderland. — Half a crop of apples and they are poor. Acre- age of meadow land reseeded in the fall is increasing in this local- ity. There will be no good late potatoes. Amount of corn grown for ensilage purposes is increasing in this vicinity. Great crop of rowen and it is being put into the barns in good shape. Onions, half a crop and a little under size. W. L. Warner. 11 HAMPDEN COUNTY. Brimfield. — Few winter apples and they are poor. Acreage of meadow land reseeded in the fall is increasing in this locality. Potatoes are rotting badly. Amount of ensilage corn remains about the same. Southern or Western white is preferred. Corn is now being cut. Owing to the warm, dry weather of the past two weeks all crops are maturing fast. S. W. Brown. Chester. — Small crop of winter apples and they are generally poor. Acreage of meadow land reseeded in the fall not increasing in this locality. There will be a small crop of potatoes. The amount of corn grown for ensilage purposes increases every year. Have had warm days and cold nights for the past two weeks and not a drop of rain. Quite a frost here on the 29th. E. H. Alvord. Monson. — Very few winter apples and they are of poor quality. Acreage of meadow land reseeded in the fall is increasing in this locality. Late potatoes are a failure. The amount of corn grown for ensilage purposes is increasing in this vicinity. The great amount of wet, the potato rot and lack of fruit make it a hard year for farmers in this locality. A. H. White. Tolland. — Winter apples few in quantity and poor in quality. Early potatoes mostly rotted ; late ones few and very small. No ensilage to speak of is grown in this section. The prospect for all fall crops is very poor. The wet weather held on too long and weeds have taken the place of crops. The weather has been very fine for the last two weeks and it may help out corn. F. T. Moore. West Springfield. — Winter apples are few in quantity. Think the acreage of meadow land reseeded in the fall is increasing in this locality. Light crop of potatoes, on account of rot and scab. Probably the amount of corn grown for ensilage purposes is not increasing in this vicinity. Common field corn is preferred. Heavy dews the last week in August. Corn is ripening rapidly, and potatoes do not appear to be rotting now. J. N. Bagg. 12 Wilbi'dham. — Fair prospect for a crop of winter apples. Acre- age of meadow Land reseeded in the fall is not increasing in this locality. Not over half a crop of late potatoes on account of rot. About the usual amount of corn is grown for ensilage purposes. The warm weather is ripening corn fast and many fields are ready to be cut. H. M. Bliss. HAMPSHIRE COUNTY. Belcliertown. — Fair prospect for winter apples. Acreage of meadow land reseeded in the fall is increasing in this locality. The potato as a crop comes nearest to being a failure. Other crops are a full average. The amount of corn grown for ensilage purposes is increasing in this vicinity. Southern white is the variety preferred. H. C. West. Chesterfield. — Quantity of winter apples small; quality good. Acreage of meadow land reseeded in the fall is increasing in this locality. Potatoes will be almost a failure. The crop is small and they are rotting badly. No ensilage corn raised. Corn has made a good growth. Horatio Bisbee. Goshen. — Winter apples few in number, and they are small, gnarled and wormy. Acreage of meadow land reseeded in the fall is increasing in this locality. Potatoes small and rotting badly. Many fields will not be dug. Amount of corn grown for ensilage purposes is increasing in this vicinity. Sweet varieties are preferred. The Black Mexican variety seems to be growing in favor. There is a tendency for all crops to ripen prematurely when not affected by actual blast. There is a blight on some fields of corn. There has been no rain for two weeks. Alvan Barkus. Hatfield. — About half a crop of winter apples, and they are poor. Acreage of meadow land reseeded in the fall is increasing in this locality. Potatoes are turning out poorly and are rotting considerably. Very little corn grown for ensilage purposes. The crop of rowen is heavy. Corn is ripening fast and some have commenced cutting it. Blast has decreased the onion crop one- half. Tobacco is curing fast, and the crop promises to be a nice one. Jf P,*. Porter. 13 Southampton. — Small crop of winter apples and quality not first class. About the usual amount of meadow land is reseeded in the fall. Blast struck the potato crop when about half grown and there is a good deal of rot, so that the crop will be but half a one. Amount of corn grown for ensilage purposes is increasing in this vicinity. Large Southern corn preferred. Three silos in town. Tobacco is all hung in good condition with some damaged by Ilea and rust. Corn is doing well and is nearly ready to be cut. C. B. Lyman. Ware. — Prospect not good for a crop of winter apples. Acre- age of meadow land reseeded in the fall is increasing in this locality. Owing to the wet weather of July and August potatoes are rotting badly, and some fields are not worth digging. The amount of corn grown for ensilage purposes is increasing in this vicinity. Corn is looking well. M. A. Perkins. MIDDLESEX COUNTY. Bedford. — Poor prospect for a crop of winter apples. Has been too wet to reseed this year. The amount of corn grown for ensil- age purposes varies little from year to year. Our cranberry crop is a total failure on the Concord and Sudbury riversr owing to the large amount of water standing on the meadows. The excessive rains have killed most crops on low land, particularly cabbage, spinach and potatoes. Late potatoes are mostly rotten. Henry Wood. Belmont. — Small quantity of winter apples of poor quality. Crops, especially potatoes and celery, have not yet recovered from the effects of so much drenching. Much rot and scab in potatoes. No corn raised in this vicinity for ensilage purposes. Plums and grapes have rotted and dropped off. W. L. Chenery. Chelmsford. — Quantity of winter apples small ; quality fair. Acreage of meadow land reseeded in the fall is not increasing in this locality. Potatoes are rotting on low lands. The weather has been exceedingly favorable for rowen and a large quantity is being secured in good condition. Bather cool nights for corn during the past week. P. P. Perham. 14 Framingham. — Winter apples promise a small crop and very poor in quality. Acreage of meadow hind reseeded in the fall increasing in this locality. Late potatoes are not over one-half grown and the tops are dead and dried up. They are rotting badly on moist land, but not so much on dry soil. Amount of ensilage corn increasing in this vicinity. Plums are not ripening, but are rotting and drying up on the trees. Melons are very poor. Poor outlook for farmers. H. S. WlIITTEMORE. Hopkinton. — Poor prospect for winter apples. Acreage of meadow land reseeded in the fall not increasing in this locality. Poor prospect for a crop of late potatoes, as they are rotting badly. Amount of corn grown for ensilage purposes is increasing in this vicinity. The Learning variety is preferred. W. V. Thompson. North Reading. — Very few good winter apples. Acreage of meadow land reseeded in the fall not increasing in this locality. Potatoes are rotting badly. Amount of corn grown for ensilage purposes is increasing in this vicinity. The Early Canada is preferred. The fire blight is doing much damage to pear and apple trees. Cranberries are being gathered and the crop is ten days earlier than last year. N. B. Case. NANTUCKET COUNTY. Nantucket. — No winter apples of any amount grown here. The potato crop is almost a total failure, on account of so much rain. There is but one silo here and it is being filled to-day (31st). If we have a week of hot weather the corn crop will be large. C. W. Gakdnei;. NORFOLK COUNTY. Dover. — Less than half a crop of winter apples of fair quality. About the same acreage of meadow land reseeded in the fall. Potato vines are dead. Dry weather may prevent the rot from spreading. Most of the crop is still in the ground. Amount of corn grown for ensilage purposes is greatly increasing. The large varieties and Stowell's Evergreen are preferred. Crops generally are failures owing to the unfavorable weather. Cranberries are an entire failure as the meadows are on the river with high water and no chance to drain. S. M. COLCOKD. 15 Franklin. — Small crop of winter apples and the}' are wormy. Acreage of meadow land reseeded in the fall is increasing in this locality. Potatoes are badly rotten. Amount of corn grown for ensilage purposes is increasing in this vicinity. The sweet va- rieties are preferred. C. M. Allen. Medway. — Very poor prospect for a crop of winter apples. Potatoes nearly all rotten. Most of the ensilage is made from sweet corn after the ears are harvested for canning. The use of ensilage is increasing. Wet weather has injured all crops except grass for feed. Corn has fallen back. Grapes mildewed badly. Blackberries and raspberries ripened so late that it was difficult to handle them. The asparagus beetle has been exceedingly trouble- some and has done much damage. Monroe Morse. PLYMOUTH COUNTY. Hanson. — Poor prospect for a crop of winter apples. Acreage of meadow land reseeded in the fall is not increasing in this locality. Potatoes are plenty, but they are rotten. No ensilage is grown. F. S. Thomas, M. D. Kingston. — Winter apples are scarce, small and rather poor. The Baldwin apples will be the best this year, but they are small. Potatoes are hardly worth digging. Amount of corn grown for ensilage purposes is not increasing in this vicinity. The Southern white flat corn is preferred. J. H. CUSHMAN. Marshjield. — Winter apples are not an average crop and the quality is not as good as usual. The acreage of meadow land in our locality is increasing. The prospect for late potatoes is poor. With few exceptions, those planted very early, rot and scab have reduced the crop very much. Corn is grown mainly for feeding dry. G. J. Peterson. Wareham. — No winter apples. Acreage of meadow land re- seeded in the fall is increasing in this locality. Very small crop of late potatoes, with some rot and scab. No ensilage corn grown. 16 There lb a large crop of rowen and pastures are good. The cran- berry crop was injured hy hail, and in some localities by insects, but the berries are generally of good quality. A. Savart. West Bridgewater. — Not more than half a crop of winter apples. Acreage of meadow land reseeded in the fall is not in- creasing in this locality. Very poor prospect for a crop of late potatoes as there is plent}' of rot. Amount of corn grown for ensilage purposes is increasing in this vicinity. Farmers are taking advantage of the good hay weather of the present time and are securing their fresh hay and rowen. Davis Coimcland. WORCESTER COUNTY. Auhtirii. — The stover of the corn crop is very large this year, and while some are complaining that it does not ear up, others will have a splendid crop. Fall feed is good, but, owing to the delay in getting the first crop of hay. rowen will not be very heavy. Scarcely any early apples and very few winter ones. Late cabbages are looking well but do not seem to head. W. F. Stone. Barre. — There will be half a crop of rather poor winter apples. Perhaps a little increase in acreage of meadow land reseeded in the fall. Potatoes poor, small and half rotten. Amount of corn grown for ensilage purposes is increasing in this vicinity. Red- cob ensilage I think is grown as much as any. I think the tend- encj' is to raise a small kind that will ear out. Fodder corn, rowen, turnips and fall feed are good. Some pieces of field corn very good. J. L. Smith. Blackstone. — In fields under high cultivation there will be half a full crop of winter apples, but in old grass lauds a very small crop of poor quality. Acreage of meadow land reseeded in the fall is increasing, for the reason that it is no longer profitable to grow oats, rye, etc., and also that the new growth may not be dried up by hot weather. About three-fourths of the late potatoes have rotted and the disease still continues. There is only one small silo in this vicinity. L. R. Daniels. 17 Bolton. — Very few winter apples, and they are of poor quality. Acreage of meadow land reseeded in the fall is increasing in this locality. About one-third of the late potatoes are rotten. Amount of corn grown for ensilage purposes is increasing in this vicinity. The large Southern white variety is mostly grown. Those that have silos usually break the ears from their field corn and put the fodder into the silos. Corn is nearly ready to be cut. H. F. IIaynes. Doxiglas. — Very poor prospect for a crop of winter apples. Acreage of meadow land reseeded in the fall is not increasing in this vicinity. Potatoes are rotten and scabby and some fields will not be dug. The corn crop is fully up to the average. G. M. Wallis. Grafton. — Very poor crop of winter apples, both in quality and quantity. Acreage of meadow land reseeded in the fall is not increasing in this locality. Poor prospect for a crop of late pota- toes, as they are much rotten. The amount of corn grown for ensilage purposes is increasing in this vicinity. Blount and Stowell's Evergreen are the varieties preferred. H. L. Banister. Holden. — Quantity of winter apples fair for the odd year ; quality, poor. Acreage of meadow land reseeded in the fall remains about the same. Very poor prospect for a crop of late potatoes, as there is much rot and blight. Amount of corn grown for ensilage purposes is increasing in this vicinity. The Southern white is most generally grown, though many prefer an earlier maturing kind. The last ten days of warm, dry weather have put a different look on things, and, with a favorable fall, we may hope to come out with average prosperity after all. G. S. Graham. Hubbardston. — Not over one-fifth of a full crop of winter apples, and those of poor quality. Acreage of meadow land reseeded in the fall not increasing in this locality. Potatoes most all rotten. Amount of corn grown for ensilage purposes is in- creasing in this vicinity. The weather has been very favorable the past two weeks for all crops. Rowen has been secured in prime condition. H. B. Jenks. 18 Leominster. — Very unfavorable prospect for winter apples, as the crop is inferior in quantity and quality. Acreage of meadow land reseeded in the fall is increasing in this locality. Not any silos in town now. Potato vines were struck with blast early in the month and the tubers are rotting badly. Very early ones, that had ripened before the blast came, are almost free from rot. Pears are lacking in flavor, and in many places the leaves are dropping from the trees, leaving the fruit immature. Corn looks well ; some fields have been cut. Rowen is good ; one field of eighteen acres cut over one ton to the acre by actual weight. Rainfall for August, 3.68 inches. Average for month for six years, 4.68 inches. W. B. Hosmer. Oakham. — There is a short crop of poor apples. There is scarcely any ensilage corn grown in this town. The prospects for the farmer are not as bright as they were the first part of the season. Potatoes are rotten, oats rusted badly, and now comes a blight on the corn and many pieces are nearly worthless. The only things we have to console us are a barn full of hay and good feed in the pastures. We have had no frosts up to date. W. M. Robinson. Petersham. — Crop of winter apples light ; quality, fair. Acre- age of meadow land reseeded in the fall not increasing in this locality. The crop of late potatoes promises to be nearly a fail- ure, on account of rot. The late fine weather is favorable for securing the splendid crop of rowen, which will compensate in a measure for the damaged condition of the first crop. There are no silos in this town. S. B. Cook. Sjjencer. — Poor prospect for a crop of winter apples. Acreage of meadow land reseeded in the fall is not increasing in this local- ity. Amount of corn grown for ensilage purposes is not increas- ing in this vicinity. The bulk of the potatoes, both early and late planted, were lost by rot, and the crop is a failure. The weather has been detrimental to corn, fruits and foliage, but rowen and weeds have flourished. H. H. Kingsbury. Sutton. — Winter apples are very few and poor. Acreage of meadow land reseeded in the fall is increasing in this locality. Very little corn is grown in this town for ensilage purposes. 19 The rowen crop is quite large, and quite a large portion of it has been secured. The potato crop is light, and there is much com- plaint of rot. The weather now is very favorable for corn. A. "VV. Putnam. Templeton. — Crop of winter apples very light ; quality, in- ferior. Acreage of meadow land reseeded in the fall is not increasing in this locality. Blight and rot struck potatoes the very first of the month, and there will not be more than half a crop. Little ensilage corn is grown here and that is mostly South- ern sweet. Cloudy, wet and cool up to the 18th. Since then, fair, with hot days and cool nights. Light frosts on low grounds not protected by fog, the 28th and 29th. Rowen is good. Vegetables about the average in quantity. Pastures good ; stock low, and no call for native beef. Lucien Gove. Upton. — About half a crop of winter apples of average qual- ity. Acreage of meadow land reseeded in the fall not increasing in this locality. Unfavorable prospect for potatoes ; the Dakota Red is the only kind not rotting. Amount of ensilage corn in- creasing in this vicinity ; Learning and Breck's Ensilage are the varieties preferred. The sunshine of the past two weeks has pushed things forward. Tomatoes are rotting instead of ripening. Cranberry picking commenced about September 1. G. A. Rogers. West Brookfield. — Winter apples small and very wormy. Acreage of meadow land reseeded in the fall is increasing in this locality. Potatoes are nearly a failure, owing to blight, scab and rot. No ensilage in town. Oats rusted badly and there was only half a crop. Rye was badly hurt by too much rain. Full crops of hay and rowen. L. II. Chamberlain. Worcester. — A small crop of winter apples. Acreage of meadow land reseeded in the fall is increasing to some extent. On peat meadows, well drained, potatoes are good. In our imme- diate district the use of ensilage is decreasing. The last nineteen days of dry, hot weather has greatly improved all crops, espec- ially corn. S. A. 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K A P O o ^— C • " ■ „ rt h n fn ' ih -O H B§2S § J"^ U3 ~ O g « 3 ft ft;3 5o2^ CD t» GJ o o ^ I .22 a ^ -^. • - oj O § |2 « .5 d g ^3 -3 o _ O — i ■— 3 <5 ° ADDENDA. Extract from an Address delivered at the Forty-Seventh Annual Fair of the Housatonic Agricultural Society, at Great Bar- rington, on friday, sept. 28, 1888, by rev. f. h. rowley of North Adams. I ask you to consider with me a matter or two that the farmer h:is too often forgotten or ignored. And the first is this : His duty to the State, growing out of his relation to it as a citizen. He who taught man's sacred obli- gation to " render unto God the things that are God's," taught also the sacred obligation to " render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's." In matters of larger interest to the nation's life, in the questions that especially in years of a presidential election are pre- sented for decision, I do not know that the farmer is at all liable to neglect the exercise of his rights of citizenship. But I do know that very often in the questions that arise in State and county poli- tics he fails to come up to the full discharge of his cluty^. Living at some distance from the polling places, he is prone to excuse himself on the ground of other duties or on the plea that it will make no difference whether he fulfills his trust or not. But it does make a difference. This right of citizenship carries with it, my friends, like every other right, its corresponding duty. In return for what the State promises to do for me, must ever hold herself ready to do, I am bound by every law of citizenship, by every principle of manhood and of honor to render unto her a service as faithful, as intelligent as is in my power. In times of war the loyal citizen listens only to this voice of duty. If able-bodied, he lays his loyal- ty on the shoulders of no hired substitute, but takes his own true place right manfully beneath the flag. In times of peace he holds as a sacred trust his right to a voice in her government, and is faithful to his duty to utter that voice in the clearest, wisest man- ner possible to him. Who has any sympathy with that mere apol- ogy for a man, who stays away from the ballot box, who is too indolent or indifferent or utterly misguided to understand his duty to cast an intelligent vote, and then prates and complains of abuses of political power and of corruption in public affairs ? He 23 has no more right to open his mouth than a traitor to the Union had right to glory in the triumphant issue of our civil war. This is the thing I want to say : Are you a citizen ? Are you under the State's protection and care? Then it is your duty, sacred, holy, to dis- charge your obligations as a citizen with the utmost intelligence and good judgment at your command. Chief among these obliga- tions is your solemn duty at the ballot box. To fail there, upon every and all occasions ; to act otherwise than in accordance with the highest and best 3Tou kuow ; to allow yourself to approach that ballot box without having given the matter before you the result of your most conscientious consideration, or, in shiftless indifference, to stay away from it altogether, is to prove false to your country and unworthy the name of a citizen. The second thing that it seems to me the farmer is too often in- clined to forget is this, thai the end of his existence is something higher than the mere accumulation of money. I know that it is very natural for the man who has earned his money by toil that has driven him from his couch often before the gray dawn of day and wrung the sweat from his brow beneath the furnace heat of a July sun, — it is very natural, I say, for that man to know well the value of a dollar. Farmers, as a class, I grant, do not get rich in a year ; thej7 work hard for what they have, and, if successful, know what habits of thrift and economy mean. But even this furnishes no ground for that spirit of excessive prudence, to use the mildest phrase, which has so often characterized them. Farmers, take them altogether, have impressed their fellows, too often, as in no small degree prone to cling to the fruits of their in- dustry with a hand that is slow to open to the great calls of God and humanity. As a result of this, you often find the farmer's home bar.e of everything save the absolute necessities of life, him- self and his family denying themselves of advantages that they ought to enjoy, and scrimping at every turn, so that a few more acres may be added to the farm or a few more hundreds go into the bank. In this lies one reason why so many boys leave the farm and seek the city. What boy of spirit, who knows his father is well-to-do, enjoys the contrast between his own cheap suit and the neat, stylish dress of the young man of the village or city ? It is all very well to talk of a foolish pride ou the part of young people, but, my friends, you can't make over human nature at your will, and the farmer's son ought to know that, so far as his father is able, he does all in his power to make life upon the farm pleasant and attractive. And what is true for the sons is true for the daughters. For the saving of a few dollars many a father and mother see their children growing up hating the privations of the 24 farm life, dissatisfied with the unattractiveness of the home, for- saking it at the first opportunity. 0 believe me, life is infinitely more than the hoarding of money or the adding of acre to acre. It is worth more, a thousandfold more, to your sons and daughters to become men and women with cultivated intellects, gentle man- ners, with minds trained to love good books, to enjoy refined so- ciety ; worth infinitely more to them is this than the inheritance of the best farm in Christendom. To help them toward this is an aim transcendently higher than to accumulate a fortune to leave them. The day seems to have come, especially with us in the East, when fanning, like everything else, is to be broken up into its several branches, and the farmer himself is to become a special- ist in some distinct department of agriculture. Send the boys, then, if you can, to college ; the better a young man's education, other things being equal, the larger hi^ success wherever you put him. At least send him to one of our agricultural colleges and help him determine that department of farming for which he is best suited. It may be that he is naturally a horseman ; cultivate his taste. Let him learn all about the care and breeding of the best horses that the markets demand, and then give him a start. Perhaps it is cattle toward which his inclinations run, or poultr}7, or fruit, or flowers. In each one of these departments there is abundant opportunity for the largest success right here in New England, and the specialist is the one who reaps the largest finan- cial advantage. And now, to gather up in a word what has been said. The farm- er of the New World has started with the tremendous advantage of a system of land tenure that subjects him to none of the griev- ous burdens that they know who dwell in a country that must sup- port the oppressive evil of a landed gentry. He has displayed in the brief history of his country a spirit of progress, a quickness of apprehension, a keenness of insight, a grasp of thought, a tenacity of purpose, that places him in the foremost rank of the world's ag- riculturists. He is moving now, we may safely hope, toward a still larger and nobler conception of his calling ; realizing more vividly the vital needs of the State and of his own inherent man- hood, the deep necessities of his home and family as above the mere possession of hoarded gold. The broader the plain on which he lives, the higher the ambitions that stir his soul, the wider the culture he gives his sons and daughters, the deeper the principles of character and life that underlie his whole activity, the grander the power he will exert in State and Nation, the sooner will triumph those laws of eternal right and truth, only in obedience to which can we cry with holy enthusiasm, " God save the Commonwealth." Bulletin No. 5. MASSACHUSETTS CEOP EEPOET MONTH OF SEPTEMBER, 1889, -SHOWING THE CONDITION, YIELD, PRICE AND QUALITY OF CROPS THE FIRST OF OCTOBER, AND OTHER MATTERS RELATING TO AGRICULTURE. COMriLED BY WM. R. SESSIONS, Secretary Board of Agriculture. BOSTON : Wright & Pottek Printing Company, State Printers, 18 Post Office Square. 1889. CROP REPORT FOR THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER, 1889. Retukxed to the Office of the State Board of Agriculture Oct. 1, 1889. Office State Board of Agriculture, Boston, Mass., Oct. 3, 1889. General Remarks. In presenting our crop report for the month of Septem- ber, we would take occasion to state that, in the circular sent to our correspondents the 20th of the month, the fol- lowing questions were asked: 1. Estimated number of baskets of peaches grown in your vicinity this season ; average price per basket? 2. What is the outlook for success in the future cultivation of the peach in your local- ity? 3. How have the peculiarities of the season affected dairy products in quantity and price? 4. Are farmers in your vicinity generally interested in agricultural fairs? About eighty-five returns have been received, samples of which will be found printed in the " Notes of Cor- respondents." From these returns we learn that, while many towns produce a few peaches, very few farmers give much attention to the growing of this fruit. Most of our correspondents report that the outlook for suc- cess, in the future cultivation of the peach, is not very encouraging. They also report an estimate of twenty- five hundred baskets as the peach crop this season, and $1.85 as the average price per basket. It is evident that the total yield must be considerably larger. The peculiar- ities of the season have caused, in most localities, an increase in the quantity of dairy products, while prices have re- mained about an average. The excess of moisture and cloudy weather produced an inferior quality of feed, and this has been followed by loss of quality in dairy products. The fanners of the State, as a whole, are undoubtedly interested in agricultural fairs and receive direct benefit from them. The rowen crop was unusually large, but, owing to unfavorable weather, much of it was spoiled in trying to secure it. The average yield was about one ton per acre. The onion crop was below the average, both in quantity and quality. The cranberry crop was about three- fourths of an average. Late potatoes were about half a crop, with quality about three-fourths of an average. All fruits are inferior in quality and below the average in quan- tity. The crop of winter apples is somewhat less than half a crop, of about three-fourths of an average in quality. Corn has been cut, and husking has commenced in some sections. In the table will be found figures showing the averages of crops by counties. On the last pages will be found an extract from an address delivered at the Annual Fair of the Essex County Agricultural Society, last year, by Hon. H. G. Herrick of Lawrence. Copies of this bulletin will be mailed on application. The Weather. The weather, during the month of September, was quite generally damp and cloudy, with frequent light rains. At Amherst the number of days on which .01 inch or more of rain fell was eleven. The rainfall for the month was slightly below the average. At Amherst it was 2.36 inches ; at Boston, 3.19; at Monroe, 3.13; and at Leominster, 3.05 inches. The average rainfall at Amherst for the month of September for the past twenty years was 3.72 inches and at Boston for the past nineteen years was 2.89 inches. The first week was unusually warm, while the temperature for the remainder of the month was about normal. Slight frosts occurred during the last ten days of the month, in various parts of the State, but scarcely any damage was done to crops. In some sections high winds, the 10th and 11th, blew olF considerable fruit. Through the kindness of the director of the Hatch Experiment Station, of the Massa- chusetts Agricultural College, we are enabled to print the summary of the Meteorological Observatory at Amherst for the month of September. Latitude, 42° 23' 48.5" N. Longitude, 72° 31' 10" W. Height of instruments above ground, 51 feet. Above sea level, 200 feet. Pressure. — In inches. Actual Maximum Reading, 30.100; Mean, Reduced to 32° F., 29.709; Monthly Range, 0.980. Air Temperature. — In Degrees, F. Mean, 61.9°; High- est, 79° ; Lowest, 40° ; Monthly Range, 39° ; Highest Mean Daily, 72.2° ; Lowest Mean Daily, 50.7° ; Mean Maximum, 68.9°; Mean Minimum, 55.4°; Mean Daily Range, 13.4°; Greatest Daily Range, 28°. Humidity. — Mean Dew Point, 5G.9° ; Mean Relative Humidity, 83.3 ; Mean Force Vapor, .5824. Wind. — Prevailing Direction, South-west; Total Move- ment, 4,310 miles; Greatest Daily Movement, 328 miles — 11th; Least Daily Movement, 34 miles — 2d; Mean Daily Movement, 143.6 miles; Mean Hourly Velocity, 6.0 miles; Maximum Pressure per Square Foot, 9| pounds = 44 miles per hour, on the 10th, at 9 a.m. Precipitation. — In inches. Total, 2.36 inches; at Base of Tower, 3.17 inches. Bright Sunshine. — Number of Hours recorded, 120. Weather. — Mean Cloudiness on a Scale of 10, 6.5; Number of Clear Days, 8 ; Number of Cloudy Days, 19 ; Number of Fair Days, 3 ; Total Cloudiness Recorded by Sun Thermometer, 239 hours, or 66.6 per cent. Thunder and Lightning, 17th. Frosts, 21st and 23d. Winds followed by Pain, 11th, Nth, 20th and 30th. Number of Days on which .01 inch or more rain fell, 11. NOTES OF CORRESPONDENTS. BARNSTABLE COUNTY. Dennis. — No peaches grown in this vicinity this season. The peculiarities of the season have affected dairy products very little. Farmers in this immediate vicinity are not generally interested in agricultural fairs. Joshua Crowell. Eastham. — Very few peaches grown in this vicinity, and the crop is so uncertain few care to grow them. The peculiarities of the season affected dairy products favorably in quantity. Farm- ers in this vicinity not so much interested in agricultural fairs as they should be. Season very dry from the middle of August to the 18th of September. Since then plenty of rain, which is favor- able for the turnip crop, — an important crop in this section. J. A. Clark. BERKSHIRE COUNTY. Cheshire. — There are no peaches in this vicinity. The outlook for success in the future cultivation of this fruit is not very flatter- ing. The peculiarities of the season have tended to increase the quantity of dairy products, but prices are much less than usual. Agricultural fairs interest the farmers quite considerably, although our fairs seem to be horse fairs rather than agricultural. L. J. N©rthup. Great Barrington. — But few peaches are grown here, and the outlook for success in the future cultivation of this fruit is not good. The quality of the grass has been against first-class dairy products. Farmers are decidedly interested in agricultural fairs. The result of the season for this locality may be summarized thus : A large crop of hay, badly damaged by rains at harvest ; rye me- dium, oats very light, — both damaged by rains ; corn a full aver- age ; potatoes less than half a crop from blight and rot, the very earlier ones suffering the least ; buckwheat a full crop, but liable to injury from rain before it can be harvested. M. I. WllEELER. BRISTOL COUNTY. Dartmouth. — We have very few peaches here. The peculiari- ties of the season have affected dairy products in both quantity and price. Farmers here are generally interested in agricultural fairs. Continued wet weather has very much retarded the gather- ing of rowen, and has made the quality in many instances very poor. Corn is drying slowly. Pastures are very good so far as quantity of feed ; but it, being poor in quality, makes but little milk. L. T. Davis. Raynham. — Outlook not good for success in the future cultiva- tion of the peach in this locality. The quantity of milk has been larger this season, with not much of any increase in quality. Most of the farmers in this vicinity are interested in agricultural fairs. Rowen that has been cut is nearly worthless on account of the very stormy time to cure it. But very little opportunity to make hay or to make progress in destroying weeds. N. W. Shaw. Somerset. — Peaches are not grown to any extent in this locality, and the outlook for success in the future cultivation of this fruit is not promising. Lack of sunshine has very materially affected the quality of milk and butter, while the flow of milk has been increased by the abundance of feed. The quality of feed is so poor it can- not produce good milk or butter. Prices very low for butter ; milk brings usual prices. "Weather has been unfavorable for ripening of corn. Joseph Gibbs. Swanzey. — No peaches grown in this vicinity. In our section all make milk, which has been plenty and price steady. Farmers in this vicinity are not generally interested in agricultural fairs. F. G. Arnold. DUKES COUNTY. Chilmark. — Poor outlook for success in the future cultivation of the peach in this locality. The peculiarities of the season have not materially affected dairy products. Farmers in this vicinity are generally interested in agricultural fairs. B. T. HlLLMAN. 8 ESSEX COUNTY. Haverhill. — Few peaches grown here, and outlook is poor for success in the future cultivation of this fruit. The peculiarities of the season have not materially affected dairy products. Farmers in this vicinity are generally interested in agricultural fairs when they are near by. Much cloudy weather and rain. No frost yet. Ebex Webster. Ipswich. — About twelve baskets of peaches in this vicinity that sold for 81.25 per basket. As a money crop, the outlook for suc- cess in the future cultivation of the fruit in this vicinity is very poor. Cream and milk have both been increased by the peculiari- ties of the season. The amount of cream has not been enough, at the price obtained, to pay quite two cents per quart for the milk, where the cows have been fed no grain. Farmers in this vicinity are generally interested in agricultural fairs. The past month has been unusually wet and has made it difficult to get rowen cured in the best shape, aud a considerable amount has been spoiled. Corn has ripened well and is a fair yield. 0. C. Smith. Marbleliead. — No peaches grown here for market. The supply of milk has been very regular, — no flooding the market or drawing supply from a distance. The majority of the farmers are not in- terested in agricultural fairs. The complaint is still " too little sun." Much rowen has laid out cut so long that now it is fit only for bedding. Another season like the present will increase the number of silos. W. S. Phillips, Jr. Newbury. — Perhaps fifty baskets of peaches grown in this vicinity this season, and mostly retailed by basket or less. The peculiarities of the season have made more milk ; price about the same as usual. Farmers in this vicinity are generally interested in agricultural fairs. This will not be a profitable year for our farmers. G. W. Adams. North Andover. — Very few peaches are grown in this vicinity, but what there are have done better this season than for years. Outlook not favorable for success in the future cultivation of this fruit. Feed has been good, and dairy products have been plenty and cheap. Farmers are not as interested as they should be in agricultural fairs. There were very few exhibits from this town at the county fair last week. A large quantity of rowen has been damaged by bad weather. Apples are being gathered, and there is a very light crop of inferior fruit. Peter Holt, Jr. FRANKLIN COUNTY. Charlemont. — The cultivation of peaches is very much neglected in this vicinity. More interest in growing them might make them a success. The quantity of dairy products has been increased and the price reduced by the peculiarities of the season. Farmers in this vicinity are generally interested in agricultural fairs. Some pieces of late potatoes have recently been harvested in fine condition, quite free from rot and scab, and producing a good crop. Quinces are rotting badly on the bushes. Pasture feed is excellent. Frost on one or two mornings, with some cool weather. H. S. Giles. DeerfieJd. — There are not enough peaches grown in this vicinity to establish a price, and the outlook is not good for success in the future cultivation of this fruit. Quantity of dairy products about the same ; quality and price lower than usual. Farmers in this vicinity are generally interested in agricultural fairs. Corn is good and early. Rowen is a fair growth, and the early has been secured in good shape. Late potatoes, not a full crop and but very little rot. Onions, small crop and not keeping very well. Apples, a very small crop and quality not first rate. Tobacco has cured well and appears to be of good quality. Charles Jones. Leverett. — Peaches will not grow here, and there is no prospect of success in the future cultivation of this fruit. Dairy products quite uniform in quantity and price. Most of us send cream to the Amherst creamery. Farmers in this vicinity are not generally interested in agricultural fairs. No onions raised here. One nat- ural cranberry bog will yield about forty barrels. No apples to sell. W. L. BOUTWELL. Northfield. — Poor outlook for success in the future cultivation of the peach in this vicinity. Dairy products, full average in quality and quantity ; but the price for butter not equal to some 10 years. We have a co-operative creamery in this town, making twenty-five hundred pounds weekly, and which sells readily at twenty-seven cents per pound. Farmers in this vicinity are not as much interested in agricultural fairs as they should be. Charles Pomeroy. Orange. — Very poor prospect for success in the future cultiva- tion of the peach in this vicinity. The peculiarities of the season have caused an increase in quantity of dairy products and a decrease in price. Some farmers are very much interested in agricultural fairs and others not at all. There has been much cloudy weather, which has been unfavorable for the ripening of late crops. Some pieces of rowen and corn have damaged in the field after being cut ; apples and potatoes are light crops, and rather inferior in quality. Ansel Harrington. Roive. — Peaches do not grow in north-western Franklin County. The peculiarities of the season have affected dairy products favor- ably ; prices are as high, and quality and quantity as good or better. Farmers in this vicinity are generally interested in agri- cultural fairs. September was noted for damp, cloudy weather, but no heavy rains. We have had no hurtful frosts ; fall feed has not been injured, and pastures are very green for this date. It is a general time of health, and I think the farmer has every reason to be thankful. J. F. Brown. Sunderland. — I think peaches can be grown in this vicinity at a profit. Butter has not been much affected by wet weather, and the price is advancing. About one-fourth of the people in this local- ity are interested in agricultural fairs, and few want them aban- doned. W. L. Warner. HAMPDEN COUNTY. Agatvam. — Peaches, $1.75 per basket; first-rate outlook now for success in the future cultivation of this fruit. The peculiari- ties of the season have made more milk at the usual price. Farm- ers in this vicinity are not generally interested in agricultural fairs. No smut of any consequence on corn. R. DeWitt. 11 Blandford. — Peaches not grown to any extent, although many are setting out a few trees. Cows have dried off, on account of poor quality of feed. Farmers in this vicinity are generally inter- ested in agricultural fairs. A hard season for farmers. All report hardly enough potatoes for home use. Poor quality of flush feed in pastures has prevented stock taking on fat. No sales of stock, and prices are low. Cannot readily dispose of our beef. Offering to sell, one is met with the answer : " Can purchase the refrigera- tor beef better." What shall we do? But one way seems clear to me, and that is to drop party (politically), form a farmers' league, stand by each other, and put down trusts and monopolies. E. W. Boise. Monson. — Milk very poor and price low. Farmers in this vicinity are not very much interested in agricultural fairs. The season has been noted for excessive moisture, which has been far better for rye and new-seeded grass lands than for harvesting crops. A. H. White. Tolland. — Peaches are not grown to any extent in this vicinity ; too cold. Too wet for a full flow of milk, and the price has been very low. We are too far from show grounds for our farmers to be generally interested in agricultural fairs. It has been a very hard season. Grass suffered largely for want of cutting and no weather to dry it. It still holds wet and stormy, and no chance to gather late crops. Farmers in this section feel pretty blue. F. T. Moore. West Springfield. — Few peaches grown, except for home use ; but the outlook is fair for success in the future cultivation of this fruit. Butter is abundant and cheap. I think farmers in this vicinity are not generally interested in agricultural fairs. They have forgotten the principles, and go for the premiums or the amusements. Cutting off all the State bounty would show who were philanthropists. No frosts here yet, but plenty of rain. Every storm clears off warm. J. N. Bagg. HAMPSHIRE COUNTY. Amherst. — About forty baskets of peaches grown in this vicin- ity this season ; price, $2 per basket. Outlook for success in the 12 future cultivation of the peach not good. Dairy products large in quantity and low in price. Farmers in this vicinity are not generally interested in agricultural fairs. They are more inter- ested in agricultural horse trots. C. E. Wilson. Chesterfield. — The peculiarities of the season caused increased quantity of dairy products in early season, but greatly diminished in late season. Farmers in this vicinity are much interested in agricultural fairs. Our soil and climate are so unfavorable for peaches that no one makes an attempt to grow them. Horatio Bisbee. Middlefield. — Outlook very unfavorable for success in the future cultivation of the peach, and none grown here this season. The peculiarities of the season have made dairy products much less in quantity, with no compensation in increased price. Farmers in this vicinity are generally interested in agricultural fairs. A hard year for farmers. Except hay, crops have been poor, and there is nothing to turn but the natural increase of stock. The low price of stock causes farmers to feel poor, and makes it difficult to make the two ends meet. M. J. Smith. Southampton. — One party here had about a hundred and fifty baskets of peaches for market, at $2.25 per basket. Outlook for success in the future cultivation of this fruit better than for some years. Farmers are generally interested enough in agricultural fairs to attend, and a number make exhibits. The weather has been so wet that there is much rowen to be cut. Apples have been picked ; quantity small, quality poor. Corn all cut, and some have commenced husking. C. B. Lyman. South Hadley. — About a hundred and fifty baskets of peaches grown in this vicinity. Outlook for success in the future cultiva- tion of this fruit not encouraging. Have had so much rain we have had to feed more meal than usual to keep up the per cent of solids in milk. Farmers in this vicinity are generally interested in agricultural fairs. H. W, Gaylokd. Ware. — There are no peach orchards in this vicinity. Dairy products have been about the same as last year. Farmers in this 13 vicinity are not generally interested in agricultural fairs. There is a good demand for potatoes, but the supply is short. The apple crop is very light. Cranberries, grapes, pears and quinces are not cultivated for market in this vicinity. M. A. Perkins. MIDDLESEX COUNTY. Ashland. — No peaches are grown in this locality, and the out- look is very poor indeed for success iu the future cultivation of this fruit. Pastures have been good all summer, but butter brings a good price. Farmers in this vicinity are generally inter- ested in agricultural fairs. The potato crop is far from being a failure, although many have rotted. Much rowen has been spoiled in curing. Very few onions are raised in this vicinity. A. R. Stevens. Belmont. — About one hundred baskets of peaches grown in this vicinity this season, and the outlook for success in the future cultivation of this fruit is doubtful. Quality of pasture poor, which has caused a shrinking in milk. Farmers in this vicinity are generally interested in agricultural fairs. Wet weather in September caused a loss in rowen ; most of it damaged in curing, and a good deal of it spoiled. Fruit ripened two or three weeks earlier than usual. No frost yet. W. L. Chenery. Chelmsford. — Perhaps one or two hundred baskets of peaches grown in this vicinity this season. Rather poor outlook for suc- cess in the future cultivation of the fruit. Average quantity of dairy products ; price, above the average. Farmers are more gen- erally interested in agricultural fairs than they were five years ago. The wet weather of the past month has had a tendency to keep back the ripening of corn and some other crops, but winter apples need to be picked quite as early as usual. P. P. Perham. Framingham. — About seventy-five baskets of peaches grown here this season, and the outlook for success in the future cultiva- tion of this fruit is poor. Increased quantity of dairy products, but quality not up to the standard ; price, an average. Farmers in this vicinity are generally interested in agricultural fairs. Too much rain for farmers to gather their crops in good condition. 14 Corn has ripened very rapidly during the last four or five days, and the" crop is the best for several years. Potatoes are not rot- ting badly now, and are mostly harvested. H. S. Wiiittemore. Hudson. — But few peaches grown here, and the outlook for success in the future cultivation of this fruit in this locality is poor. The peculiarities of the season have greatly increased the quantity of milk ; more sour milk than in dryer seasons. Farmers in this vicinity are generally interested in agricultural fairs. Pota- toes are badly decayed. Apples are very wormy and poor in the orchards that had a good crop last year. Gr. A. COTTING. Pepperell. — Think there were no peaches grown in town this season, and that the outlook for success in the future cultivation of this fruit is discouraging. The peculiarities of the season caused a large flow of milk. Farmers in this vicinity are very much interested in agricultural fairs. The weather has been very cloudy, but no frosts as yet. Corn has ripened in fine shape, and there will be a good crop of good corn. I think potatoes are done rotting, and what are left are of fine quality. Large crop of grapes ; price, two cents per pound. P. J. Kemp. Wilmington. — No peaches grown in this vicinity this season, and outlook poor for success in the future cultivation of this fruit. The peculiarities of the season have affected dairy products favor- ably. The live farmers are interested in agricultural fairs. The season has, on the whole, been favorable for the farmer. The corn and hay crops are large, and of good quality. Potato crop about one-half the usual yield. The cranberry crop is estimated to be about twenty-five hundred bushels. C. W. Swain. NANTUCKET COUNTY. Nantucket. — The peculiarities of the season have had a good effect on dairy products. Farmers in this vicinity are generally interested in agricultural fairs. The potato crop is a failure here in quantity and quality. Cranberries are an average crop in quality and quantity. It has been hard to make rowen, on account of so much rain. C. W. Gardner. 15 NORFOLK COUNTY. Dover. — About five baskets of peaches grown in this vicinity this season. The peculiarities of the season have affected dairy products in quantity, favorably ; in price, poorly. Farmers in this vicinity are generally interested in agricultural fairs. The hay and corn crops have been above an average. Apples, a very light crop. Potatoes, which a month ago were considered a failure, owing to dry cold weather, have turned out better than was expected. Root crops have done fairly well. Rye and other grain has suffered much from rain. In this section, farming will average about three-quarter crops. S. M. Colcord. Medway. — About two hundred baskets of peaches grown this season in this vicinity. The outlook for success in the future cultivation of this fruit depends on the winter temperature. The peculiarities of the season have caused increased quantities of dairy products and lessened price. Farmers in this vicinity are not very much interested in agricultural fairs. The rowen crop was much damaged in harvesting. Potatoes are reduced by rot about one-half. Grapes are generally damaged by mildew, and many do not mature at all. My Moore's Early was the only variety to ripen perfectly. Monroe Morse. Norfolk. — Very few peaches grown in this vicinity, and no prospect for success in the future cultivation of this fruit in this locality. Larger quantities of butter and milk produced than for some years ; no change in price. Farmers in this vicinity are interested in agricultural fairs. Apples have generally dropped from the trees. Rowen has not all been secured, on account of continued cloudy weather, but other harvesting is very generally done. J. W. Hinkley. Weymouth. — Farmers in this vicinity are generally interested in agricultural fairs. There are very few peaches grown in this vicinity. The rowen crop was extra good, but few succeeded in securing it in good condition. Potatoes are rotting badly. J. G. HUTCHINS. 16 PLYMOUTH COUNTY. Halifax. — Outlook not good for success in the future cultiva- tion of the peach in this vicinity. Very little dairying is carried on here. Fanners in this vicinity are generally interested in agri- cultural fairs. ~ ,„ TT Gr. W. Hay ward. Hanson. — Very few peaches in this vicinit}7, and poor outlook for success in the future cultivation of this fruit. Farmers in this vicinity are generally interested in agricultural fairs. We have had a fine crop of rowen, but it has rained so much we have been able to make but little of it, and that which has been made is very light, like feathers. Few apples, but some very good ones. F. S. Thomas, M. D. Kingston. — There are no peaches grown here, and no prospect for success in the future cultivation of this fruit. The peculiari- ties of the season have made more milk of a poorer quality. Farmers in this vicinity take but very little interest in agricultural fairs, otherwise than to attend them. All dairy products are about the same price as usual. Light frost September 22 and 29. J. H. CUSHMAN. Marshfield. — Milk more than an average. The farmers are much interested in our annual fairs. The quality of the hay crop is estimated to be about one-third less than an average. Cattle are looking very well in pasture. The grain ration is increasing, with corresponding profit to the dairy and milk trade. G. J. Peterson. Wareham. — No peaches grown here. Farmers in this vicinity arc not generally interested in agricultural fairs. Interest in farming is declining ; the principal attention is given to grass and hay, for the production of milk, which is in great demand here during the summer. Some small fruits are raised, but the birds get the most of them ; robins destroy about all of our grapes, and in some vineyards not a bunch escapes their ravages. A. Savary. WORCESTER COUNTY. Berlin. — About fifty baskets of peaches in this vicinity, and poor outlook for success in the future cultivation of this fruit. The peculiarities of the season have affected dairy products unfav- 17 orabl}7 in quantity and price. Farmers in this vicinity are gener- ally interested in agricultural fairs. Such continued damp weather has affected crops unfavorably, and caused them to mould. Some of the beans have sprouted in the pods and the corn in the husk. Many fields of potatoes are not worth digging. P. B. South-wick. Douglas. — No peaches grown for market, and hardly enough for home use. The prospect is fair for success in the future cultivation of this fruit. Quantity and price of dairy products about the same as last year. Most of our farmers are interested in agricultural fairs. The corn crop is up to the standard. Onions and cran- berries have not been all gathered, and no definite price has been established. The season has been too wet for celery, and the trenches have been full of water part of the time. G. M. Wallis. Dudley. — Peach trees prove short lived in this town, and no orchards are started, though nearly every farmer has a few trees. Frosts have held off remarkably well. The first one occurred on the 22d, followed by two more, but were so light that tomatoes were but little affected. The market for dairy products is good. The flush of feed seems to have had but little effect on the price. Since the organization of an agricultural society in the adjoining town of Oxford our farmers have taken a more direct interest in agricultural fairs, by no longer simply lending their presence, but by making good entries of stock and farm produce. The grange can also be credited for much of this, for in it they meet and talk over their successes and failure^. J. J. Gilles. Harvard. — I think the outlook for success in this vicinity in the future cultivation of the peach is very good. The peculiari- ties of the season have increased the quantity of dairy products, and have lowered the price. I think farmers are generally inter- ested in agricultural fairs if connected with a horse trot ; doubtful otherwise. Cranberries are very green, and not more than half picked ; the meadows are too wet, and so much so as to spoil part of the crop. Had light frosts last week. Apples nearly all picked, and are about a fifth of a full crop. Preston Knight. 18 Leominster. — But few peaches grown here this year. Outlook for success in the future cultivation of this fruit very uncertain, but the trees appear healthier this fall than usual. The peculiari- ties of the season have had a tendency to overstock the market with dairy products, hence lower prices. Farmers in this vicinity are generally interested in agricultural fairs. Frosts have held off so as to save the late planted corn, and a good crop will be secured. The grape is the only fruit that contains sugar enough to make it good ; all other fruit being very deficient in quality. Fruit trees have made a good growth, and this is favorable for a crop of fruit next season. Our rainfall for the month was 3.05 inches ; average for the month for six years, 4.58 inches. W. B. Hosmer. Lunenburg. — Very few peaches grown here. The peculiarities of the season have increased dairy products in quantity and low- ered the price. Farmers in this vicinity are generally interested in agricultural fairs, but think county fairs are run too much in the interest of those not engaged in agriculture. Cloudy and rainy weather has interfered much with farm operations, in mak- ing improvements and in harvesting the crops. James Hildreth, 2d. New Braintree. — Very few peaches grown here this season, and outlook for success in the future cultivation of this fruit not very encouraging. Feed excellent, and a large amount of milk produced, which would have sold as low as it did in New York (1.5 cents) if it had not been for the Union. Farmers in this vicinity are generally interested in agricultural fairs. Notwith- standing the unfavorable weather, crops have generally been secured in fair condition. Corn aH shocked before frost. Some orchards in town will produce two hundred or more barrels of apples of fair quality. Very little other fruit is grown. This is a dairy town, and one of the best in the State. C. D. Sage. Oakham. — Some parties report a large flow of milk, while others say their cows have not done as well as usual. I do not think the price of dairy products has been much affected by the season. To a considerable extent farmers in this vicinity are interested in agricultural fairs. The first frost of the season occurred the 23d of September. Corn is as good as was expected the first of the month. We have had an average rainfall. Fall work is backward. W. M. Robinson. 10 Southborough. — About 260 baskets of peaches grown in this locality this season, and good outlook for success in the future cultivation of this fruit. A much larger amount of milk has been produced, and sold at the car for thirty-four cents, the same price as last summer. I do not think farmers take as much interest in agricultural fairs as they ought. There has been so much rain that most crops have been injured. Rowen and pastures are very good. Corn is good. Apples are the poorest and scarcest for many years. E. F. Collins." Sterling. — Not a very favorable outlook for success in the future cultivation of the peach in this locality. Quantity of dairy pro- ducts large ; price, in local markets, unaffected. Farmers in this vicinity are generally interested in agricultural fairs. The rainy, cloudy weather continued through the past month. Rowen never was better, some farmers cutting their entire fields the second time, although the weather has been very unfavorable for proper curing. Meadows, pastures, and fall and winter grain are looking very green and fresh. Frosts have done no damage. J. S. Burpee. Templeton. — No peaches grown in this vicinity, and prospect very doubtful for success in the future cultivation of this fruit. A large flow of milk of rather poor quality ; the price of butter low. The majority of farmers in this section are interested in agricul- tural fairs. A good deal of rowen has been injured by wet weather. Corn ripened well. Apples small in size, and quality poor. A light crop of potatoes. Several light frosts, but none severe. Pastures good for the season. Lucien Gove. Worcester. — About two hundred baskets of peaches grown in this vicinity this season; price per basket, $2.25. Poor outlook for success in the future cultivation of the fruit. Dairy products have been a high standard. Only a few farmers in this vicinity are interested in agricultural fairs. There has been a blight on many vegetables, which has done much damage, on account, mainly, of so little sunshine. F. J. 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Dukes, . Essex, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, Middlesex, Nantucket, Norfolk, . Plymouth, Suffolk, . "Worcester, THE BEST FA.RMER. Extract from an Address delivered at the Annual Fair of the Essex County Agricdlttjral Society, at Peabody, on Wed- nesday, Sept. 2(5, 1888, BY Hon. II. G. Herrick of Lawrence. The best farmer, in the largest and best sense of the word, is the best citizen ; that is to say, the better the farmer the better the citizen. He is honest — honest with himself, honest with his ground. He is not always taking from it and never returning ; he gives back a fair share of what he takes from it ; he does not expect " to cat his cake and have it too." If he takes away potash, or nitrogen, or phosphoric acid, he will put some back in one way or another — either returning it in kind or growing a crop that does not call for it, and allowing the forces of nature and her resources, in earth or air, time and opportunity to make restoration. He does not believe that plants of any kind will grow with nothing to feed on. Why will a man waste his time, labor and money scratching over ten acres when he hasn't manure enough for but five? and when the five will give him a better immediate return, and in each successive year also, than the ten, with half the labor? Any man, you will say, is a fool to buy ten shares of stock that will pay only three per cent, when he can buy five that will pay six for half the money. He is honest with his soil, and will not expect a "good stand of grass " from a peck where he ought to have sowed a bushel, nor will he cheat himself by mixing a little old onion seed, left over from last year, with his new, rather than waste it by throwing it away, as lie ought to. He is honest with his stock, and will not think he can cheat his cattle and horses out of good feed and full rations and yet get good work out of them every day in the year, and twenty quarts of milk from his cows. In fine, he will not expect to get something from nothing. lie is honest with his neighbors. He will be more than what hard-faced men call honest. He will be accommodating and neigh- borly ; he will not persist in keeping a breachy cow or ox to the great damage and constant annoyance of his neighbor ; he will wring the neck of every fowl he has, rather than that they should scratch up his neighbor's garden, and eat his tomatoes and corn ; will he the Good Samaritan always, rather than Priest or Levite. Finally, he will be " honest in the sight of all men." He seeks to have the best home, and when I say home, I mean 23 a liome; not one of the highest style in furniture, in ornaments, and decorations and table appointments, not the foolish aping of fashion and wealth — but a home of comfort, of peace, of good breeding, good manners, of love and hospitality. He is intelligent ; he reads ; he thinks ; and if sometimes he reads less he thinks and observes the more. He is intelligent enough to investigate — if not with the accuracy and thoroughness of the scientific man, yet with the sound common-sense of the practical man — new theories and new suggestions connected with farm and garden, and to accept and use every new discovery of science, so far as applicable or useful in his calling. He does not trouble himself much, perhaps, with philosophical speculations ; he may not give much attention to the various theories of evolution, but he does believe in heredity, that " blood will tell," and in " the survival of the fittest ; " and if the fittest will not survive without help he will make it survive. He believes in making the fittest calf and colt, the fittest plant and vegetable and fruit survive, and with almost Spartan indifference and coolness he will get rid of all inferior and defective animals and plants and fruits. He believes in agriculture as a science and as an art. "With the science he does not claim to be familiar, but he will not presume to rail against scientific deductions and teachings — against the facts of science — but will test them by his own good sense, by careful observation and experience, and by a practical, actual application. He believes in availing himself, as far as possible, of every aid within his reach. He sees with his own eyes what great advance- ment has been made in farming, and recognizes the important part science has had in effecting it. To the Agricultural College is the agriculture of the Common- wealth greatly indebted. By it a great stimulus has been given to agricultural pursuits and agriculture and its related studies, among our young men particularly ; nor is the number limited, by any means, to its students and graduates. It has largely tended to place, indeed it has placed, the farmer and the business of farming abreast with what have been called the learned profes- sions, with every occupation that calls for intelligent and educated men. It has showed to the people that good farming makes a draft on brains, as well as on muscle, and that the draft is quite as likely to be honored as in mercantile, professional, mechanical, or scientific life. It has showed to young men, or has greatly helped to show them, that the field for gratifying a high and hon- orable ambition is as promising here in agriculture as elsewhere, and that the way is as open and iiviting to him as elsewhere, to 24 an honorable position in society and to the honors that come in civil life, to a place among the educated and influential men of his town or his State. And to this, the farmer — the young farmer — has a right, and it is his duty to expect to be called. I think it will be agreed that there has been, in the last fifteen years, a large increase in the number of intelligent, well-educated young farmers in our county and in the Commonwealth, and as they grow older, and as the number increases, as I doubt not it will, they will surely come to be recognized, as they ought to be, as important forces and factors in all lhat goes to make the best society, the noblest state, in education, in legislation, in morals. ********** The best farmer does not cling to, nor discard, old ways and appliances because they are old ; nor sneer at a thing because it is new, nor lose his head and run wild over every new invention, or new seed, or new fertilizer. He carries on his farm, not for the poetry or romance of the thing — as a mere sentiment — but as a profession, a business, from which to get a living and some- thing more ; but he is not therefore insensible to the charms of nature — neither his ears or his eyes are closed to her beauties or to her voices. The best farmer will recognize, always, the wisdom and good- ness of an All-wise Providence, and will see in the returning sea- sons, in the heavens above him and in the earth beneath his feet, in the gently falling dew, in the snow and the rain, in the heat of summer and the cold of winter, in the fiercest rays of a summer sun and in the drizzly, foggy dog-days, in the quiet beauty of the Indian summer and the harvest moon, and no less in the melan- choly days of chill November, — " The saddest of the year, — Of wailing winds, and naked woods And meadows brown and sere," the same Divine Father, who, it is said, " left not himself without witness, in that He did good, and gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness ; " and " without whose notice not even a sparrow falleth to the ground." With more trials, vexations and annoyances, and more frequent temptations to complain of his lot, and more unexpected losses — here and there — than a man in almost any other calling, he will still, remembering the great compensations of his life, possess his soul in patience, and learn from daily experience and observation how best to provide against avoidable accidents; at least, will make it sure they do not come from his own carelessness and neglect. Bulletin No. 6. MASSACHUSETTS CEOP EEPOET MONTH OF OCTOBER, 1889, THE YIELD, PRICE AND QUALITY OF CROPS THE FIRST OF NOVEMBER, AND OTHER MATTERS RELATING TO AGRICULTURE. COMPILED BY WM. R. SESSIONS, Secretary Board of Agriculture. BOSTON: Wright & Potter Printing Company, State Printers, 18 Post Office Square. 1889. CEOP REPORT FOR THE MONTH OF OCTOBER, 1889. Returned to the Office of the State Board of Agriculture, Nov. 1, 1889. Office State Board of Agriculture, Boston, Mass., Nov. 5, 1889. General Remarks. In presenting our last crop report of the season of 1889, we would take occasion to thank our correspondents for the interest they have taken in this line of work and for the manner in which they have made their returns to us from time to time. It is hoped that this work may be taken up next season in a way that will produce even better results than have been secured this season. In the circular sent to our correspondents about the 20th of the month, the follow- ing questions were asked : 1 . Is this year's crop of Indian corn an average one? 2. Are root crops up to the average in quantity and quality? 3. On the whole, has this season been a profitable one for your farmers? 4. In your opinion, what per cent of farms in your town are mortgaged? 5. In your opinion, is the number of deserted farms in your vicinity greater than it was ten years ago ? About 80 returns have been received, samples of which will be found printed in the "Notes of Correspondents." From these returns we learn that the crop of Indian corn is fully an average one. Root crops are just about an average in quantity and quality. As to whether the season has been a profitable one or not, 77 replies have been received, of which 44 say it has, and 33 say it has not. The answers to the fourth question were to be considered confidential. The following table will give a partial idea of the extent to which farms are mortgaged. The percentage of mortgaged farms, though in many cases high, does not necessarily indicate that farming in this State is not a paying business. Some of these mortgages were no doubt placed by parties desirous of becoming farmers, but not having sufficient capital to buy the property outright. Other farms were undoubtedly mortgaged in order to raise money with which to make desirable improvements and to carry on farming operations with greater profit. The fifth question. In your opinion, is the number of deserted farms in your vicinity greater than it was ten years ago? was prepared with the view of ascertaining whether deserted or abandoned farms are increasing in number. Our replies would indicate that they are not. The following table will give an idea of the number, as compared with ten years ago. COUNTIES. Number of Keplies. Yes. No. About the same. Less. P>arnstable, 1 1 Berkshire, 4 2 1 - 1 Bristol, 2 - 2 - - Dukes, 1 1 - - - Essex. 5 1 2 1 1 Franklin, . 9 3 5 1 - Hampden, ") 3 2 - - Hampshire, 8 3 5 - - Middlesex, 7 2 5 - - Nantucket, 1 - 1 - - Norfolk, . 5 1 4 - - Plymouth, t; 1 4 - 1 Worcester, 23 7 12 2 2 It may be justly said that the number of deserted farms is no criterion of the prosperity of the farming community. To a certain extent the presence of deserted farms indicates an advance in agriculture. No doubt some abandoned farms in the State ought never to have been cultivated. Some farms are deserted because the land does not pay for the labor of cultivation, or because they are so isolated as to make them undesirable as homes. Improvements in farm methods and farm machinery have had their influence, and no doubt have added to the number in localities where the soil is naturally poor or so rough as to preclude the use of farm machinery. In some cases a portion of the land belonging to a deserted farm is absorbed into the farm of a more successful neighbor, while the house, being of little value as a rent, is left unoccupied. The tendency is towards an increase in the size of farms rather than in the number, especially in districts remote from the centres of population. In the table will be found figures showing the averages of crops by counties. On the last pages will be found an extract from a lecture delivered before the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, last winter, by Prof. W. O. Atwater of MiddletowTn, Conn. Copies of this bulletin will be mailed on application. The Weather. The weather during the month of October was very much like that of the preceding months. There was less bright sunshine than usual, owing to the many cloudy and rainy days. The rainfall was above the average. At Amherst, foot of observatory tower, it was 4.58 inches ; at Monroe, 4.13 ; and at Leominster, 5.39 inches. The average rainfall at Amherst for the month of October for the past twenty years was 3.92 inches. At Milton the mean temperature was nearly two degrees below the forty years' average. Snow fell in Monroe on the 8th, 11th and 13th. There were no severe gales. Through the kindness of the director of the Hatch Experi- ment Station of the Massachusetts Agricultural College, we are enabled to print the summary of the Meteorological Observatory at Amherst for the month of October. 6 Latitude, 42° 23' 48. 5" XT. Longitude, 72° 31' 10" W. Height of instruments above ground, 51 feet. Above sea level, 260 feet. Pressure. — In inches. Actual Maximum Reading-, 30.208 ; Mean, Reduced to 32° F., 29.750; Monthly Range, 0.938. Air Temperature. — In Degrees, F. Mean, 46.5° ; High- est, 69° ; Lowest, 26° ; Monthly Range, 43° ; Highest Mean Daily, 61.3°; LoAvest Mean Daily, 35.2°; Mean Maximum, 53.9° ; Mean Minimum, 38.9° ; Mean Daily Range. 15.4° ; Greatest Daily Range, 29°. Humidity. — Mean Dew Point, 39.4°; Mean Relative Humidity, 75.7 ; Mean Force Vapor, .3349. Wind. — Prevailing Direction, North North-east; Total Movement, 4,762 miles ; Greatest Daily Movement, 367 miles — 15th; Least Daily Movement, 20 miles — 31st; Mean Daily Movement, 153.6 miles ; Mean Hourly Velocity, 6.4 miles ; Maximum Pressure per Square Foot, 12^ pounds — 49 miles per hour on the 14th at 12 m., and 15th at 4 A.M. Precipitation. — In inches. Total, 3.59 inches; at Base of Tower, 4.58 inches. Bright Sunshine. — Number of Hours Recorded, 129. Weather. — Mean Cloudiness on a Scale of 10, 6 ; Number of Clear Days, 9 ; Number of Cloudy Days, 16 ; Number of Fair Days, 6 ; Total Cloudiness Recorded by Sun Ther- mometer, 193 hours, or 59.9 per cent. Thunder and Lightning, 1st. Frosts, 3d, 5th, 8th, 9th, 11th, 12th, 16th, 17th, 19th, 22d, 23d, 24th. Winds followed by Bain, 1st. Number of Bays on which .01 inch or more rain fell, 14. Auroras, 21st. Meteors, 21st. Snoiv, on northern hills, 13th. NOTES OF CORRESPONDENTS. BARNSTABLE COUNTY. Easiham. — Crop of Indian corn an average one. Turnip crop one-fourth short. Season fully an average one for our farmers. There are quite a number of deserted farms in this town which are for sale very cheap. J. A. Clark. Falmouth. — Crop of Indian corn as a whole is an average one. Root crops as a rule are not up to an average in quantity and quality. I think, on the whole, the season has not been a profitable one for our farmers. The number of deserted farms in this vicinity is greater than it was ten years ago. D. R. Wicks. BERKSHIRE COUNTY. Cheshire. — The crop of Indian corn is more than an average one. Root crops are up to an average in quantity and quality. I think, on the whole, this has been a profitable season for our farmers. In my opinion, there are more deserted farms in this vicinity than there were ten years ago. L. J. Northup. Great Barrington. — Crop of Indian corn an average one. Less root crops planted than formerly ; quality an average. There are no deserted farms in this town. There are some very poorly cultivated, and some that ought never to have been culti- vated at all. The same labor that has been spent on some of the rough and unproductive acres, applied to other localities, would have produced far better results in furnishing the comforts of life ; while these same unproductive acres, left to the undisturbed course of nature, would have been worth vastly more to-day than they are with all their so-called improvements. Crops fairly good, but prices low and weather decidedly against us. M. I. Wheeler. 8 Richmond. — Crop of Indian corn an average one. Root crops up to an average in quantity but not in quality. On the whole, the season has not been a profitable one for our farmers. Number of deserted farms in this vicinity greater than it was ten years ago. M. W. Coleman. Windsor. — Crop of Indian corn the best for four or five years. Root crops up to an average in quantity and quality. This season not a very profitable one for our farmers. Not so many deserted farms in this vicinity as there were ten years ago. H. A. Ford. BRISTOL COUNTY. Dartmouth. — Crop of Indian corn not quite up to the average. Root crops not up to an average in quantity and quality. It has been a very bad season. The application of manures of any kind has seemed to have but little effect. It has not been a profitable season for farmers in this vicinity. I do not think the number of deserted farms in this vicinity greater than it was ten years ago. The weather continues wet, making it difficult to do work that many farmers desire to do at this season of the year. Apples are keeping very poorly. L. T. Davis. Somerset. — Crop of Indian corn an average one. Root crops up to an average in quantity and quality. The three principal money crops of this town are hay, potatoes and strawberries. The hay crop was above the average, while the potato and straw- berry crops were fifty per cent below the average. The cost of tillage of all hoed crops has been at least forty per cent above the average, caused by the excessive rains ; making the season, on the whole, not a profitable one for our farmers. Number of de- serted farms in this vicinity not greater than it was ten years ago. Joseph Gibbs. DUKES COUNTY. Chilmark. — Crop of Indian corn not an average one. Root crops not up to an average in quantity and quality. The profits this year have been small. There are more deserted farms in this vicinity than there were ten years ago. B. T. HlLLMAN. ESSEX COUNTY. Haverhill. — Crop of Indian corn an average one. Root crops about an average in quantity and quality. A fair average season for our farmers. About the same number of deserted farms in this vicinity as there were ten years ago. I know of but two or three in Haverhill. Eben Websti.k. Ipswich. — The corn crop is good, but not as large as the aver- age. Root crops are not up to an average in quantity and quality, for where the quality is good they are generally smaller than usual. There has not been much profit in general farming this season. There are no deserted farms in Ipswich ; farms sell for from $50 to Si 80 per acre, according to locality and buildings. Farmers have generally had good success in harvesting the late crops, and are very busy in fall work, ploughing and seeding. O. C. Smith. Marblehead. — No Indian corn raised here to estimate upon. Root crops hardly up to an average in quautity and quality. This season has not been a profitable one for our farmers. We have no actually deserted farms in this vicinity. W. S. Phillips, Jr. Newbury. — Crop of Indian corn an average one. Root crops are an average in quantity and quality. The season has not been a profitable one for our farmers. Onions have been of little value, and English hay was damaged badly. Number of deserted farms in this vicinity is greater than it was ten years ago. There is more than usual complaint among our farmers ; nearly all con- sider this season worse than last. The low price of stock and beef is going to hurt us all during the next three months. G. W. Adams. North Andover. — Crop of Indian corn fully up to the average. All root crops yielded a fair average. Farmers generally com- plain that this has been an unprofitable season. All farm products have been low in price, while expenses have been the same. There are no deserted farms in this vicinity. It is evident that the farms in this town are not carried on at a profit. Unless a farmer has a saw-mill, cider-mill, or is engaged in cutting and marketing wood, 10 or has some other business than that of farming, he is hardly making a living, to say nothing of getting ahead. The farms in this town are mostly owned by manufacturers and lawyers, and those who have inherited their farms (on which are large wood lots) and money besides. Of course there are some few excep- tions. Peter Holt, Jr. FRANKLIN COUNTY. Ashfield. — Corn crop an -average one. Root crops not up to an average in quantity and quality, but a very profitable season for our farmers. Number of deserted farms in this vicinity not greater than it was ten years ago. The potato crop is an entire failure. A. G. Howes. Deerfield. — Crop of Indian corn ten percent more than an aver- age. Root crops up to an average in quantity and quality. As it looks now, the season has been a profitable one for our farmers. Number of deserted farms in this vicinity not greater than it was ten years ago. Tobacco is cured well, and is being taken from the poles and put into bundles, and is a fine crop. The weather is good, and farm work is more forward than usual. Land seeded to grass looks extra well. Charles Jones. Monroe. — Crop of Indian corn not an average one. Root crops not up to an average in quantity and quality. This sea- son has not been a profitable one for our farmers. Eleven full cloudy days and thirteen part cloudy, making a total of seventeen without sunshine, — with only seven full sunny days, — fairly en- title us to the name of " cloudland." Mean temperature, 40.73. Rainfall, 4.13 inches. Snow the 8th, 11th, and 13th, about two inches, but soon melted. Mud ! — well, driving or teaming is not pleasant for man or beast this season. Wm. H. Allen. Northfield. — Crop of Indian corn better than for many years. Root crops usually very good. Our crops as a whole were a full average. There are few deserted farms in this town. Perhaps a few more than ten years ago. Can think of only four. Many more new houses have been built, though not farm houses. The tendency is to get into or near the village. Charles Pomeroy. 11 Orange. — Crop of Indian corn not quite up to the average. Root crops not quite up to an average in quantity and quality. Do not think the season has been an average one for our farmers. Number of deserted farms in this vicinity not as great as it was ten years ago. The dry spell the fore part of the month gave farmers a good chance to finish their harvesting, but the wet weather since has delayed farm work. Fall feed holds out well and farmers are feeding less hay than usual at this time of year. Ansel Harrington. Roive. — Corn very fine and more than an average crop. Root crops up to an average in quantity and quality. I think this season has been an average one for profit. Number of deserted farms greater than it was ten years ago. In summing up the results of the closing season, I think the farmers have every reason to be satisfied and thankful. Our sugar crop was more than an average in quantity and extra in quality ; hay heavy, and fair in quality ; apples not heavy, but worth more than a large crop ; rowen very fine ; feed excellent ; dairying good, and the soil in fine condition for the comiug season. J. F. Brown. HAMPDEN COUNTY. Blandford. — Crop of Indian corn not an average one, as the ears are short and not well filled out. Root crops good. Season not a profitable one for our farmers. Failure of potato crop and poor year for dairying, with low prices, cause all to complain. Perhaps more deserted farms than ten years ago ; but they have been purchased by neighbors, and, under the stimulus given from the Union Agricultural Society, all are better cultivated and generally better crops raised. Nearly all our farmers feel that grass is the main crop, and are increasing the quantity of hay, though now it is not as much as it was forty years ago. E. W. Boise. Brimfield. — Crop of Indian corn more than an average one. Root crops are not up to an average in quantity and quality. Season has not been a profitable one for our farmers, for the reason that though we had large crops their value is so small. The num- ber of deserted farms in this vicinity is greater than it was ten years ago. Corn mostly husked ; yield No. 1 , quality never better. All kinds of root crops poor ; not more than one-half crops. S. W. Brown. 12 ToUand. — Crop of Indian corn not an average one. Root crops not up to an average in quantity and quality. Potatoes and apples were almost a failure. This part of the State is fast growing up to bushes (running wild), in spite of the inhabitants now here. A few thousand foreign population to help clear up the laud and pay taxes is the only salvation I can see for this country. F. T. Moore. West Springfield. — Corn crop about an average one. Root crops not up to an average in quantity and quality. The season has hardly been a profitable one for our farmers. The markets are overcrowded so that prices are low, and farm help and taxes are high. Number of deserted farms in this vicinity is not greater than it was ten years ago. J. N. Bagg. Wilbraham. — Corn crop not an average one. Root crops up to an average in quantit}7 and quality. Number of deserted farms in this vicinity not greater than it was ten years ago. Hay, apples and potatoes are in good demand. H. M. Bliss. HAMPSHIRE COUNTY. Amherst. — Corn crop more than an average one. Root crops not up to an average in quantity and quality. This season has been as profitable as the seasons average. Number of deserted farms in this vicinity not greater than ten years ago. C. E. Wilson. Belchertown. — Crop of Indian corn an average one. Root crops up to an average in quantity and quality. This season has not been a profitable one for our farmers. Reason, fair crops but extremely low prices and hard sales at any price. Number of de- serted farms in this vicinity not greater than it was ten years ago. On the whole, the farmer has little reason to complain. An encour- aging sign is fewer farms for sale than five years ago, showing more content although few buyers. H. C. West. Goshen. — Crop of Indian corn just about an average. Root crops not up to an average in quantity and quality. On the whole, 13 the season has not been a profitable one for our farmers. Stock and beef very low ; not worth as much as last spring. Potatoes a failure. The number of deserted farms in this vicinity is greater than it was ten years ago. Alvan Barrus. Hadley. — Crop of Indian corn an average one. Root crops up to an average in quantity and quality. On the whole, the season has been a profitable one for our farmers. There are no deserted farms in town. H. C. Russell. Southampton. — Corn crop a full average. Root crops up to an average in quantity and quality. I think, on the whole, the season has been a profitable one for our farmers. No great failure, except potatoes. Number of deserted farms in this vicinity not greater than it was ten years ago. Feed has been abundant all through the season and stock has done fairly well. C. B. Lyman. South Hadley. — Crop of Indian corn an average one. Our best lands are kept in grass and our corn is partly raised on light lands with fertilizers, which reduces the average. Root crops not an average in quantity and quality. Season has hardly been a profitable one for our farmers, our best crop, hay, being injured in harvesting and our potatoes blasted. There are no deserted farms here. A blight seemed to strike the sugar-beet crop the last of August, which reduced the quantity and quality. H. W. Gaylord. Ware. — Crop of Indian corn an average one. Root crops are not up to an average in quantity and quality. On the whole, the season has been a profitable one for our farmers. Number of de- serted farms in this vicinity is greater than it was ten years ago. M. A. Perkins. MIDDLESEX COUNTY. Bedford. — Crop of Indian corn an average one. Root crops not up to an average in quantity and quality. I do not think the season has been a profitable one for our farmers. Potatoes blasted ; squashes and cabbages were drowned ; and the small apple crop, 14 with the loss of all our fresh meadows, are my reasons. Also, the excessive rains have required a great deal more work to keep the weeds down. I do not think the number of deserted farms in this vicinity is greater than it was ten years ago. Henry Wood. Belmont. — Root crops not up to an average in quantity or quality. Wet weather has damaged our farmers in many ways. Cloudy and rainy weather has continued with few interruptions to the present time, interfering with work as well as damaging crops both in quantity and quality. W. L. ClIENERY. Chelmsford. — Crop of Indian corn an average one. Root crops average in quantity ; quality poor. On the whole, this season has been an average one for our farmers. The number of deserted farms in this vicinity is not greater than it was ten years ago. The early cold weather tends to hurry farmers about their harvesting, so has had the effect to nearly complete the same in this vicinity. P. P. Perham. Groton. — Crop of Indian corn an average one. Root crops up to an average in quantity and quality. On the whole, this season has been a profitable one for our farmers. The number of deserted farms in this vicinit}' is greater than it was ten years ago, and yet we have but very few. Our apple crop has been so large and general that the farmers in this town have been greatly helped. Daniel Needham. North Reading. — Corn crop an average one. Root crops up to an average in quantity and quality. On the whole, this season has been a profitable one for our farmers. Number of deserted farms in this vicinity is not greater than it was ten years ago. There has been a good deal of land seeded down to grass, and most people have their manure spread. Harvesting is nearly fin- ished. We are busy finishing our. marketing and getting ready for winter. N. B. Case. Pepperell. — The corn crop is no more than half harvested about here, but is sound and good and more than an average crop. Root crops are up to an average in quantity and quality. Wet weather has interfered so much with work that I don't think this season has been a profitable one for our farmers. The num- ber of deserted farms in this vicinity is not greater than it was 15 ten years ago. With the exception of one week this month has been very cloudy, with a great deal of rain. The apple crop is short; prices $1.50 to 82 per barrel. Potatoes that were dug late do not rot in the cellar ; earl}' dug ones do. Heavy crop of fall feed. P. J. Kemp. NANTUCKET COUNTY. Nantucket. — On the whole, I think this season has been a profitable one for our farmers. Crop of Indian corn an average one. It is about all cribbed and is in splendid condition. The mangold beets as a general thing are above an average. Turnips are looking splendidly ; but we do not harvest them here till we have a good freeze, for then they are sweeter and keep better, and cannot be beat in quality by any State in New England. There is but one mortgaged farm that I can find. The number of deserted farms in this vicinity is not greater than it was ten years ago. C. W. Gardner. NORFOLK COUNTY. Franklin. — Crop of Indian corn not an average one. Root crops up to an average in quantity and quality. The season has been an average one for our farmers. Number of deserted farms in this vicinity greater than it was ten years ago. If the whole tax is levied upon the land, the farmers are driven to the wall. C. M. Allen. Medivay. — Crop of Indian corn not an average one. Root crops not up to an average in quantity and quality. Season not a very profitable one. Rot and blight have been much more prevalent than usual. Number of deserted farms in this vicinity is not greater than it was ten years ago. The number of deserted farms is no criterion of the prosperity of the farming interest. Some farms are deserted and allowed to grow to wood because the land would not pay for cultivating, — either because of natural poverty of soil or roughness, making cultivation expensive ; or isolation, making home there undesirable. It is wise to abandon such places. The farming interest has greatly improved hereabouts. The tendency is to higher farming, better crops, more stock and better kept. The farmer now must use agricultural machinery to be successful, and a farm which is so rough as to preclude its use had better be abandoned. Monroe Morse. 16 Norfolk. — Corn crop an average one. Root crops not up to an average in quantity and quality. The season in general has not been profitable for our farmers, except that dairying has paid well. Number of deserted farms in this vicinity not greater than it was ten years ago. Remarkably good month as regards frosts and fall feed, but too wet for fall roots. J. W. HlNKLEY. PLYMOUTH COUNTY. Halifax. — Corn is a very fair crop. Turnips and other root ci'ops not up to the average. I think this season in our town has been the most unprofitable one for five years. Less deserted farms in this vicinity than there were ten years ago. We have had the best hay crop ever harvested in town. But very little of the fresh hay has been cut. Potatoes were a failure so far as profit is concerned. Apples are a failure. G. W. Hayward. Hanson. — Crop of Indian corn not an average one. Not all of the root crops are up to an average in quantity and quality. On the whole, the season has been a profitable one for our farmers. The number of deserted farms in this vicinity is not greater than it was ten years ago. Our farms are small, and fully owned by the farmers. We have little extensive farming. F. S. Thomas, M.D. Kingston. — Crop of Indian corn not up to an average. Con- siderable corn has moulded in the husk. Root crops up to an average in quantity and quality. Everything considered, the season has not been a profitable one for our farmers. Haying and harvesting are about completed, and farmers are now busy ploughing and seeding down their grass land. The number of deserted farms in this vicinity is not greater than it was ten years ago. J. H. ClJSHMAN. Marshfield. — Corn crop not up to the average. Root crops up to the average in quantity and quality. The season has been a profitable one for our farmers. On the South Shore there is increasing inquiry for, and occupancy of, farms. This season has been remarkable in the amount of second and third crops of grass. The remark of our oldest farmer, " There may have been something like it, but I don't remember it," is the universal expression. G. J. Peterson. 17 West Briclgewater . — Crop of Indian corn an average one. Root crops not up to an average in quantity and quality. Number of deserted farms in this vicinity not greater than it was ten years go. On the whole, the season has been a profitable one for our farmers, although they have met quite a loss, in consequence of the wet season, by being unable to get their fresh meadow hay. The season still continues wet. Davis Copeland. WORCESTER COUNTY. Blackstone. — Crop of Indian corn an average one. Root crops up to the average in quantity and quality. On the whole, this season has been a profitable one for our farmers. Corn, pastur- age and hay especially heavy. Fewer deserted farms in this vicinity than ten years ago. J. C. Peck. Bolton. — The corn crop is mostly secured, with very satisfactory results as to quality and quantity. Root crops not up to an aver- age in quantity and quality. The season has been fully an average one. The hay and corn crops were never better, and the corn fodder has been secured in fine order. Number of deserted farms in this vicinity not greater than it was ten years ago. We have had dull, cloudy weather for several days past, and, while the temperature has been mild, it has been impossible to make much progress in harvesting. H. F. Haynes. Douglas. — Corn crop fully up to the average. Root crops not up to an average in quantity and quality. I think, on the whole, it has been a fair season for us. About the same number of deserted farms as there were ten years ago. Harvesting is all through with. September and October were too wet for some kinds of vegetables. Celery not more than three-fourths of a crop. Apples scarce ; worth $2.20 to $3 per barrel, and of poor quality. Potatoes worth 90 cents per bushel, and are not very plenty. G. M. Wallis. Hardwick. — Corn crop an average one. Root crops up to an average in quantity and quality. Being a dairy district, the season has been very profitable. I think there has been no marked change in the number of deserted farms during the past ten years. On the whole, farmers living in this part of the Commonwealth, as 18 they look at the well-filled barns and count the cans of milk sold, have occasion to consider the year of 1889 as one exceptionally prosperous. We can say, with the exception of potatoes, that all farm products have been up to the average. W. A. Warner. IlohJen. — Corn excellent in quality; yield fair. Root crops good. Not much money to go into the bank, and very hard season to get work done. Number of deserted farms in this vicinity not greater than it was ten years ago. Large number of Swedes h:ive settled in town, and our nearness to Worcester gives a tenant to nearly every place. G. S. Graham. Subbardston. — Crop of Indian corn perhaps better than an average. As our main dependence is on the dairy, I think I may say that the season has been a profitable one for our farmers. The profits in this vicinity on the farms are rather doubtful quan- tities. Number of deserted farms in this vicinity not greater than it was ten years ago. There are many deserted farms, but none that I know of that have been left during the last ten years, but several within twenty years. H. B. Jencks. Lancaster. — Crop of Indian corn the best for several years. Root crops are not up to an average in quantity and quality. The season has been less profitable for our farmers than usual. The number of deserted farms in this vicinity is a little greater than it was ten years ago. W. A. Kilboukx. Leominster. — Crop of Indian corn an average one. Root crops up to an average in quantity and quality. In general, we think the season has been a profitable one for our farmers. Number of deserted farms in this vicinity not greater than it was ten years ago. The season has been peculiar, our hottest day being on May 9 ; then followed muggy, wet weather, producing rot and scab in the potato, and nearly a failure of the apple crop ; and it looked rather discouraging for the farmer. But when he sees his barns so unusually full with his most important crop, and still plenty of feed out of doors, he begins to think the season will average with any. Our rainfall for the month was 5.39 inches. Average for six years, 3.79 inches. W. B. Hosmer. 19 New Braintree. — There were some very good fields of Indian corn, but so many fields were blighted that the average yield was reduced nearly one-half. Our farmers have made a large amount of milk this season, and received a good price for it. Number of deserted farms in this vicinity not greater than it was ten years ago, only that the buildings destroyed by fire have not been rebuilt. Much more stock than usual will be wintered. C. D. Sage. Spencer. — Crop of Indian corn an average one in quality. Corn fodder secured before the 26th was in fine condition. The last five days of the month were cloudy, with considerable rain. Quantity of root crops an average ; but not quality. This season has not been a profitable one for our farmers, because of rot in potatoes, short crop of apples, and loss of profitable labor by reason of stormy weather. Number of deserted farms in this vicinity greater than it was ten years ago. The ground froze and ice formed ou the 11th, 22d and 23d. H. H. Kingsbury. Sxttton. — Corn crop not quite an average one. Root crops not up to an average in quantity or quality. Season perhaps fairly profitable for our farmers. I think one great reason for the small profits this year was the great amount of wet we have had, and which caused most of the products to be very watery, hence reducing their value very much. The number of deserted farms in this vicinity is greater than it was ten years ago. A. W. Putnam. Worcester. — Crop of Indian corn an average one. Root crops up to an average in quantity and quality. I think the season has been rather better than an average. Number of deserted farms in this vicinity not greater than it was ten years ago. Farmers, as a rule, do their work and business in a hap-hazard kind of way ; hence the reason there are so many who are constantly complain- ing of their hard lot, and that many of them have cause for com- plaint. F. J. Kinney. 20 r. H P C O PQ 03 w r H C c H - C PM P3 Ph O Q w H «! H 0 -t a a •0 O H •< ►H 'PUSH J9OOIO CCOfflKQCNOD OS ■,Cii[Bno a3«J3Ay IOI lOOIOOO'O'^l-f os no os o o oc os os a p •PP!A Itnj b hiiav pajnd -moo jonpojj iCOON ICONOiO 1 |CC |iO N OS GO 00 OS CO OS OS GO OS ■ijI[BnO 33BJ3AV OWMO 1 ODOOOO IO 1 -* OOOSOSO OS © OS OS © OS OS CD H Id pq B qjiAi paJBd - ra o'o jonpojj 1 1 1 IO» IflNO l» |B3 O OS GO OS O CO OS 1— 1 1-H ■.ClIIBno aSBjaAV 1 1 1 1 O GO 1 (M CN O 1 (N I 00 O Os OS OS O Os OS 2 es O 85 «< 3 V. •s|3qsng III '3J3V Jad ujo;> p^[[3ilS jo P|31A aSBJ >av ::ONOJ)0DO'OO'OO'f 1 iO •PP!A lin.4 B m\M. P9JBQ -moo }3lipOJ,{ ONCOiOONOOOOiON IO CSOSOSOSOSOSGOOSOOGOGO OS. •A"|l[i:ilf) 9SBJ9AV oo>oonn©noo>oo OOOsOsososososOOOsGO OS r-IH I— 1 rH COUNTIES. Barnstable, Berkshire, Bristol, . Dukes, . Essex, . Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, Middlesex, Nantucket, Norfolk, Plymouth, Suffolk, . Worcester, 3 Qf 21 LATE PROGRESS IN THE APPLICATION OF SCIENCE TO PLANT CULTURE. Extract from a Lecture delivered before the Massachu- setts Horticultural Society, February 11, 1888, by Prof. W. O. Atwater of Middletown, Conn. Permit me to recapitulate at the outset some of the funda- mental principles of plant nutrition as applied to the ingredi- ents of the food of plants, their sources, and their artificial supply. 1. Plants, like animals, require food for life and growth. A part of the food of plants comes from the atmosphere ; the rest is furnished by the soil. No ordinary cultivated plant can thrive without a sufficient supply of each of a number of sub- stances needed for its food. With an abundance of all these, in forms in which the plant can use them, and with other circum- stances favorable, the crop will flourish and the yield be large. But if the available supply of any one of them be too small, a light yield is inevitable. If all the other conditions for a profit- able crop of corn, potatoes or other plants are fulfilled in the soil, except that potash is deficient, the crop will surely fail ; but if the potash be supplied, the yield will be abundant. 2. The most important soil ingredients of plant food — the ones that the atmosphere cannot supply at all, or not in sufficient quantity, and which the soil or fertilizers must supply, so that the plant can absorb them through its roots — are potash, lime, mag- nesia, iron, phosphoric acid, sulphuric acid, chlorine, and some compound of nitrogen. Plants also take silica, soda, and some other materials from the soil, but these are needed only in minute quantities, or not at all. 3. In removing crops from the soil ; we take away plant food. This is the chief cause of soil exhaustion. Lack of fertility is commonly due, in large part or entirely, to lack of plant food. 4. Soils vary greatly in their capabilities of supplying food to crops. Different ingredients are deficient in different soils. The chief lack of one may be potash, of another phosphoric acid, of another several ingredients, and so on. 22 5. Soils fail to furnish enough food for crops not so much because they have not abundant stores, as because the materials are not in available forms. A soil may have thousands of pounds of phosphoric acid within reach of the plants, but locked up in fragments of rock so that the roots cannot absorb it, and then the crop will fail for lack of phosphoric acid. 6. The infertility of many soils is due more to their mechanical condition, their texture, and relations to heat and moisture, than to lack of plant food. Such soils want amendment first and manures afterwards. Some soils will give good returns for manuring ; others, without irrigation, or amendment by drainiug, tillage, use of lime, marl, or muck, or otherwise, will not. 7. The chief use of fertilizers is to supply plant food which crops need and soils fail to furnish. 8. But the indirect action of fertilizers in improving the me- chanical condition of the soil and rendering its stores of plant food available is often very important. Hence, cheap materials, like bone and plaster, are frequently more profitable than manure or artificial fertilizers. 9. Plants vary greatly with respect to their demands for food, their capabilities of gathering the ingredients from soil and air, and the effects of different fertilizers upon their growth. Hence, the proper fertilizer in a given case depends upon the crop as well as upon the soil. 10. The only ingredients of plant food which we need to con- sider in commercial fertilizers are potash, lime, magnesia, phos- phoric acid, sulphuric acid, and nitrogen. Of this list, magnesia is generally abundant even in " worn-out" soils. Sulphuric acid and lime are more often deficient, and hence one reason of the good effect so often observed from the application of lime and plaster. The remaining substances — the phosphoric acid, nitro- gen, and potash — are the most important ingredients of our com- mercial fertilizers, because of both their scarcity in the soil and their high cost. 11. The chief use of commercial fertilizers, such as guano, phosphates, bone, potash, salts, and special fertilizers prepared by formulae for different crops, is to supply nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potash. 12. These materials are expensive, but the right ones in the right places are nevertheless very profitable. But the same fer- tilizers in other cases may bring little or no return. 13. It is not good economy to pay high prices for materials which our soils themselves ma}' furnish, but it is good economy to supply the lacking ones in the cheapest way. Farmers cannot 23 afford to use commercial fertilizers at random. No more can they afford to have their crops fail when a small outlay for the proper fertilizer would bring a bountiful harvest. And it is time that they understood these facts, the reasons, and how to make use of them. 14. The only way to find out what our soils want is to study them by careful observation and experiments. Success in farming, as in other business, requires the use of brains. Soils vary greatly in regard to their needs. Hundreds of ex- periments show that the ingredients most often lacking in soils east of the Mississippi are first phosphate, next nitrogen, and then potash. Iu many cases it is not the lack of any particular article which makes soils infertile, but other circumstances. The feeding capacities of plants are most important, but we are deplorably in the dark as to why they differ. Leguminous crops gather nitrogen ; why is it? Clover takes away much more nitro- gen from the soil than wheat ; yet it is much less dependent upon nitrogen in fertilizers, though this is contrary to what theory would lead us to expect. The question whether corn can gather its own nitrogen has been much discussed. Experiments bear emphatic testimony on this point. It has failed to respond to nitrogen, — it may respond, but not in proportion to the amount applied, — when it would respond to phosphate and potash. The corn plant has shown itself capable of getting on and bringing fair yields with small amounts of the less costly mineral fertilizers, even in the worn-out soils of the Eastern States. With this help it has gathered its nitrogen from natural sources, and holds it readily to be fed out on the farm and returned in the form of manure for other crops. In other words, the experiments thus far imply that corn has, somehow or other, the power to gather a great deal of nitrogen from soil or air, or both ; that in this respect it comes nearer to the legumes than the cereals ; that, in short, corn maybe classed with the "renovating" crops. If this is really so, — and this can be settled only by continued experimenting, — then our great cereal, instead of simply being a consumer of the fertility of our soils, may be used as an agent for their restoration. Four-fifths of the weight of the air around us is nitrogen; and the question comes up, Can plants — can any plants — avail them- selves of it? Boussingault and Lawes concluded that the}' could not, and that we are drawing for our nitrogen on the stores accumulated in the ground in past ages. But there are facts which are hard to explain on this hypothesis, and there is a feel- 24 ing that, after all, perhaps they do get it somehow. Microbes seem to be working over the stores of inert nitrogen, and clover may favor the action of microbes. There is at present a decided tendency to accept the doctrine that some plants do gather nitrogen from the air. If this doctrine is true, we may, when guano and nitrate of soda are gone, use clover to obtain a supply of nitrogen. I was much struck the other day by a forcible remark of a friend, who, in speaking of farmers' clubs and the men who support them, said, " Where there is one man talking in the meeting, there are a hundred busily thinking at home." The fact is, that we are in the midst of an awakening of agricultural thought that is really phenomenal. With the thinking come improvement, better tillage, better crops, better stock and better profits, and, what is best of all, a higher intellectual, and, I trust, moral life. The agencies that speed this movement, the forms of nutriment on which it thrives, are manifold. The future welfare of our race, material, intellectual and moral, depends upon the food supply, or, in other words, upon the products of the soil. This in turn reduces itself to a question of the supply of phosphoric acid, potash and nitrogen. Enough of the first two for indefinite time to come is assured in the deposits of phosphates and potash salts already discovered. But the supply of the nitrogen is still in question. • This costliest of the fertilizing elements escapes from our soils into the air and into the sea, and is taken away by crops, and not completely returned. The artificial supplies in commercial fertilizers promise to meet but a small fraction of the coming demand. If, as some are inclined to believe, the exhaustless stores of the atmosphere are not available to plants, the outlook is dark enough. But if the farmer may use his plants to gather it without money and without price, we may dismiss our solicitude. With the assurance that plants obtain nitrogen from the air, the dismal doctrine of Malthus, which prophesies starvation for the over-populated earth of the future, may, with other kindred forms of pessimism, be happily ignored. That the research of the future will bring the brighter answer to this problem, there seems to me to be most excellent ground to hope. A •."