Excerpt from Forty-Fifth Annual Report of the Secretary of the Massachusetts Board of Agriculture, 1897: Together With the Tenth Annual Report of the Hatch Experiment Station of the Massachusetts Agricultural College

In June, considerable complaint was made Of the failure of corn to germinate, necessitating replanting or abandon ment of fields. Acreage of early potatoes about as in pre vions years, and the crop generally promised well, though somewhat backward. Early market-garden 0r0ps late and growing slowly, but where harvested the yield was usually spoken of as satisfactory. Prices ruled about as usual, with perhaps a slight upward tendency for some crops. There appeared to be a slight increase in the sum total of dairy products, probably due to the excellent feed in pastures. There was a surplus of milk in many sections. Supply of dairy stock, on the whole, none too great for the demand. Strawberries were generally said to be a good crop, with prices average, but the quality of the early berries suffered somewhat from the wet weather and lack of sun, and the crop was generally delayed in ripening.

In July, squash bugs, both the black and the striped varieties, appeared to be rather more numerous than usual. Indian corn was very backward, with color off and stand uh even. Reports from all quarters agreed that the hay crop was one of the largest ever known in the State; the qual ity was also said to be excellent, as a rule, though trouble was reported in some sections from the presence of weeds, which throve unduly during the wet weather. Market garden crops suffered more or less from the severe rains. Considerable complaint was made of potato blight. Prices for early potatoes generally spoken of as much better than for several seasons past. Rye was a good crop, if anything, a little above the average.

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