3. Comparison of Agricultural Trends in Reservoir 

 and Non-Reservoir Areas 



Local areas which have borne the impact of flood control projects have also 

 been subject to the same forces which have caused changes in agriculture 

 and other enterprises. The long-time movement of resources out of agri- 

 culture in New Hampshire is reflected in most subdivisions of the state. 

 Substantial amounts of agricultural land have been and are being converted 

 to residential, industrial, and recreational use as well as to forest. Table 14 

 shows this trend for New Hampshire. This trend must be given due weight 

 in the reservoir areas along with evaluation of direct effects of project con- 

 struction. 



Table 14. Trends in New Hampshire Agriculture, 1940-1954 



It 



em 



Farms 



Land in farms 

 Average size of farms 

 Cropland harvested 

 Cropland used for pasture 

 Woodland pastured 

 Other pasture 



(not cropland and not woodland) 



Commercial farms 

 Other farms 

 Milk cows 

 Cattle and calves 

 Horses and mules 

 Sheep and lambs 

 Corn for silage 

 Hay cut 



Chickens on hand 

 Chickens sold 



* Not available. 

 Source: Census of Agriculture, Bureau of the Census, and Agricultural Statistics, USDA. 



The movement toward fewer and larger farms has meant that land hold- 

 ings have become consolidated under fewer operators. Census figures show 

 little disposition for the practice of tenancy to increase in the state. Thus, 

 consolidation has probably come about to a great extent through outright 

 purchase of additional lands, with some formal leasing and a fair amount 

 of informal short-run arrangements for cutting standing hay or pasturing 

 fenced tracts. With this trend operating, many units in the reservoir areas 

 might have been eliminated or consolidated in the absence of the projects. 

 The projects probably hastened these adjustments. 



28 



