During this period, production 

 techniques have been modified by re- 

 search and experience. In many cases, 

 improved technology would provide 

 the means to obtain higher yields at 

 present as compared to the pre-con- 

 struction situation. It would now be 

 possible to obtain the former output 

 •of production on a smaller number 

 of acres. However, in actual practice, 

 farm operators may not adopt the 

 latest methods, particularly on leased 

 reservoir land. In addition to change 

 in technology, some adjustments 

 would also be expected in the types 

 of farm enterprise and their relative 

 importance. 



The shift from private to public 

 ownership presents a number of pos- 

 sibilities to 'be considered. Such a 

 change may make farm operators re- 

 luctant to treat leased land as care- 

 fully as that which they own. Reser- 

 voir lands may become marginal to 

 operation of the privately-owned land 

 and receive only residual treatment. 

 However, some operators do not prac- 

 tice optimum management even on 

 land which they own. There is a pos- 

 sibility that in some cases the reser- 



Iii April, 1953, when Franklin Falls 

 Resevoir was three-quarters full, water 

 left this log in a tree on Main street 

 of the old Hill, N. H. Adjacent areas 

 are used for vegetables, hay, and pas- 

 tures. Lessees report no measurable 

 losses from inundation. 



voir land might be inherently more 

 productive than the land in private ownership. 



The willingness of farm operators to use leased lands in optimum fashion 

 will also depend to a great degree upon their estimates of the frequency, 

 duration, and time of inundation of land available for lease in the reservoir 

 areas. There have been appreciable differences in these estimates based on 

 individual or group judgment. In general, it would appear that risks have 

 been over-estimated, which has had a depressing effect on post-construction 

 values. 



It is possible, in comparing pre- and post-construction agricultural pro- 

 duction, to confine comparisons to "actual" levels. However, in doing so 

 there may be a chance bias in the post-construction situation. The post-con- 

 struction production might vary considerably depending on the operators 

 using reservoir lands on leases by competitive bidding. Again, "actual" 

 post-construction levels of management may reflect exaggerated estimates 

 of the danger of loss from inundation. 



In the case of pre-construction "actual" conditions there is a chance 

 for bias since there would be a range of levels of operation depending on 

 differences between individual operators, and the manner in which the 

 land was held. 



15 



