34 University of New Hampshire [Sta. Bull. 522 



time basis there is evidence that the inclusion of potatoes in the ro- i 

 tation under the usual practice will result in increased yields of hay i 

 per acre. It is estimated that two acres of potatoes on a 40-acre ' 

 farm w ill have no appreciable effect on total yields of hav prt)vidcd 

 they are grown on new ground each year in rotation and with usual 

 applications of fertilizer. It is estimated that an acreage of potatoes 

 in excess of 5 per cent of the tillage will result in progressive di- ' 

 minishing of the total yields of hay. In the revised budget plan the 

 loss in hay acreage is offset by greater yield which would result 

 from application of commercial fertilizer as a top-dressing on the 

 remaining hay land. 



Since the requirement for hay is approximately three tons per 

 cow, the decline of each three- tons of hay may result in the reduc- ' 

 tion of the size of the herd by one cow. Each ton would represent I 

 approximately a net income of ^25 in dairy products. If the decline ' 

 in total hay resulted in the reduction of young stock, each ton of 

 hay would represent approximately $18. Thus the substitution of 

 potatoes for hay would result in reduction of hay when the pt)tato 

 acreage was over five per cent of the total tillage. Each ton less 

 of hay produced can be estimated to cause a net loss in milk or , 

 young stock income of from $15 to $25. This is ignoring the pas- i 

 ture situation and of course the reduction in size of the herd may ' 

 mean better pasturage for the remaining cows. I 



A study of labor charts indicates that the operator on one or more ' 

 farms could do most t)f the work on four acres of potates U]) to har- 

 vest with his available labor. This might recpiire some adjustment 

 in ])otato equipment. However, with present practices more than 

 four or five acres of potatoes would require additional hired labor, i 

 Under these ct)nditions an additional acre would probably not add , 

 to the net returns o{ the farm as a whole. 



On a few of the farms where the fields are more easily tilled the 

 operator could grow more acres of potatoes by using more efficient 

 machine methods. This would require a shorter rotation to elimi- ' 

 nate the witchgrass and other weeds that handica]) jiroduction and | 

 would also require the use of modern one-man planters of the pickt-r 

 t\i)e, ])otato seed cutting machines, and better si)ray outfits. 



On most one-man farms oi the area because of the very short sea- 

 son for work in the fields, small amount of tillage land, and ditfieult \ 

 land to operate, four acres of jiotatoes would fit into the organiza- 

 tion verv well under the usual methods of cultivation. On some 

 farms, more adequate machinery and a short rotation would enable j 

 the operator to fit six or seven acres into his combination. Exce]>t j 

 in a few special instances, the addition of potato acreage beyond | 

 this point wr)uld not increase the net returns of the farm. Thus 

 potato production in the region is distinctly a supplementary crop 

 to wholesale dairying, although one operator has expanded i>ro<hu- 

 tion as a special enterprise to 35 acres. He uses a semi-abandoned ' 

 farm which has good tillage land. He is well efiuijiped with machin- 

 erv and bv a svstem of intensive production has reduced the weed 

 handicap, and he has access to a special marketing outlet. The small 



i 



