34 MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 430 



There are several factors favorable to Massachusetts agriculture as far as 

 postwar conditions are concerned. In the first place, during the war period there 

 has been little or no over-extension of agricultural production in the State, except 

 in the poultry' industry and potato acreage. Therefore, no serious problem of 

 readjustment is likely to arise, especially since some natural falling ofT in these 

 lines will probably occur by the dropping out of some producers who were tempted 

 by wartime exigencies. Of greater importance is the fact that Massachusetts 

 agricultural production is concentrated in products like fresh milk, vegetables, 

 fruits, and eggs, which are recognized as of primary importance in the diet and 

 have experienced a constant increase in per capita consumption during the 

 recent period of rising employment and wages. 



APPENDIX 



Table L — Use of ^L\SSACHUSETTS Farm Land in 1944'. 



Use of Farm Lands Acreage 



Corn, all (planted) 43,000 



Tobacco (harvested) 5,700 



Potatoes (planted) 24,000 



Truck crops for processing^ (planted) 1,000 



Truck crops for fresh market* (harvested).- 35,800 



Total cropland for intertilled crops 109,500 



Oats (planted) 13,000 



Hay, all tame, e.xcept small grain hay (harvested) 335, OOC 



Rotation (cropland) pasture^ 33,000 



Idle cropland •- 69,900 



Total cropland ..- --,. 560,400 



Orchards, vineyards, and small fruits 48,000 



Other plowable pasture 192,300 



Open nonplowable pasture 220,000 



Woodland pasture - - 720,000 



Hay, wild (harvested) - 10,000 



Other land in farms - 188,300 



Total land in farms • 1,939 000 



^By the Bureau of Agricultural Economics. 



^Commercial acreage of cucumbers for pickles reported by BAE. 



^Commercial acreage of asparagus and onions reported by B.'\E and some market-garden acreage 



not reported by BAE. 

 ^Exclusive of preharvest and aftermath grazing on acreages from which crops are harvested. 



