POSTWAR READJUSTMENTS IN AGRICULTURE 13 



LOCATION OF UNDEVELOPED LAND IN RELATION TO AGRICULTURAL USE 



An examination of Map 7 reveals that the town of Southwick has considerable 

 areas of suitable land not used for pasture or crops. In this particular map no 

 differentiation is made as to whether these suitable areas are located on farms or 

 outside of them. To gain a clearer picture of this situation it was necessary to 

 map out the farm boundaries. In the town of Southwick it was possible to carry 

 this out in a rough way because of the availability of an AAA aerial survey. As 

 indicated on Map 8, when undeveloped land of suitable quality is plotted in 

 relation to the farm boundaries, comparatively little of it remains outside of 

 existing farms. This clearlj- shows that the major advantages to be gained from 

 unde\'eloped land will be in the readjustment of the present farm land resources. 

 The necessity and opportunities for such adjustment are brought out by Map 9 

 which discloses a considerable amount of poor quality land utilized for agricul- 

 tural purposes on existing farms. 



Under a proper reconstruction program of land utilization this poor land now 

 in use could be retired and replacement made from better quality land areas 

 which are available within present boundaries of the farm. Moreover, such a 

 program should result in a better and more efficient outlay of the entire farming 

 unit, making it more suitable for the employment of mechanized equipment. 

 The whole plan of improvement would be carried out only to the extent that 

 over-all benefits justified the cost. 



In order to determine the significance of undeveloped lands of suitable nature 

 outside of existing farms, these areas have been thoroughly examined in the field 

 and their importance for agricultural use appraised from different angles. Much 

 of this land, of course, adjoins farms already in operation and its primary impor- 

 tance would be to serve as a potential land supply for readjustments of the 

 active farming units. The remaining areas of undeveloped land suitable for 

 agriculture were examined primarily as a source for creating new farming units. 



As will be seen from Map 8 one large area of undeveloped land of desirable 

 quality is concentrated in the northeastern section of the town. This section is 

 the least developed and, from the Roads and Waterways Map, it appears to be 

 also least well supplied with roads and means of communication. The greatest 

 part is covered with woods of poor second growth. It is relatively level, with 

 part of the area broken by a small stream. 



Bringing this land into cultivation would require the removal of the present 

 forest growth and some old stumps, and a small amount of drainage. Most of 

 the area would be suitable for truck crops, although in places it would require 

 additional irrigation facilities. With all the necessary work carried out, the 

 area would provide for about a dozen new farming units. In relation to the total 

 number of commercial farms in the town of Southwick the potential increase 

 would be not much above 10 percent. This estimate is based at this point on 

 purely physical possibilities, without taking into consideration the costs of bring- 

 ing land into cultivation. 



BENEFITS AND COSTS OF LAND IMPROVEMENT 



While the clearing of stones, stumps, and brush from land has been practiced 

 on Massachusetts farms in a limited way for a good many years, these operations 

 have recently become more extensive and are carried out by a greater use of 

 mechanized power. It is precisely the use of heavj'-duty equipment like power 

 shovels, bulldozers, and bog harrows that focuses attention on the possibility 



