University of New Hampshire [Bulletin 339 



(2) wherein the rural road system is inadequate ; and (3) methods for 

 improving" rural road services and equalizing" rural road tax burdens. 

 The present study was undertaken at the request, and vmder the 

 auspices, of the State Agricultural Planning Committee. In a real 

 sense, this bulletin and its recommendations are to be credited to that 

 Committee, since the authors functioned as technicians within the 

 framework of an assignment decided by that Committee. 



II. IMPACT OF RURAL ROAD SYSTEM UPON 

 RURAL NEW HAMPSHIRE 



Inadequate rural road services in New Hampshire have contrib- 

 uted to an uneconomic use of rural land and to an incomplete realiza- 

 tion of agricultural and recreational opportunities. This is the com- 

 mon opinion of New Hampshire farmers, who have watched agricul- 

 tural adjustments in their towns. Their understanding of the effect 

 of road accessibility upon the use which is made of the land is now 

 supported by an analysis of land use maps and highway maps. 



It is not due to chance that in all of the towns whose land has 

 been classified by a local Agricultural Planning Committee almost all 

 of the areas in which agriculture is carried on most intensely are cut 

 by hard-surfaced State roads. Moreover, commercial farming areas, 

 not served by a State road, are usually served by well graveled all- 

 weather town roads, as, for examples, Areas I and II in (iilford.' On 

 the other hand, a superimposing of land use maps upon highway maps 

 reveals that a large majority of the so-called "declining areas" arc 

 those districts most inaccessible in a town. 



It must be emphasized, however, that many of the declining areas 

 are made unfit for agriculture by uncontrollable natural factors, such 

 as a heavy, cold, wet soil, late spring and early autumn frosts, fields 

 which are rocky and difficult to work. For example, Area IX in Gil- 

 ford is "either too wet and swampy or too rocky and rough" for agri- 

 culture. Area V in Alton is so frosty that hay and a few berries are 

 the only crops." Areas I and II in Unity are rocky and wet. The 

 mere existence of a road cannot save agriculture in these areas, which 

 are typical of many other districts in the State. Unless an agricul- 

 turally unproductive declining area represents potential summer or 

 summer-Avinter recreational opportunity, the local roads of the area 

 should be abandoned as rapidly as possible. Not only is the cost of 

 public services greater than the tax yield from the area, but in the 

 interest of the men and women struggling to eke out an existence 

 from ungenerous soil, settlement should be discouraged. 



Nevertheless, too many areas in the State are declining because 

 they are not readily accessible. Their soils may be as fertile as any 

 in the town, yet their agriculture is slowly dying. Young farmers. 



^ The "areas" referred to in this section are the land use areas delineated and numbered by local 

 Agricultural Planning Committees. 



