ORGANIZATION OF THE AGRICULTURAL ENTERPRISE 335 



charges on this commodity are relatively high. This gives the eastern 

 farmer a much higher price than his western competitor. Hay pro- 

 duction, therefore, appears to be one of the enterprises which possess 

 marked economic advantages in New England. The production of 

 vegetables is another enterprise which enjoys marked economic advan- 

 tages when conducted in the immediate vicinity of the consumer. 

 This, then, also appears to be an enterprise which should be developed 

 in New England to as full an extent as economic conditions justify. 



Those who are most familiar with conditions of production and 

 marketing in New England are of the opinion that the larger cities 

 of that section are supplied with home-grown vegetable products dur- 

 ing the summer months in a quantity approximately equal to the 

 demand, but there are many smaller towns and cities, as well as con- 

 siderable areas of farming community, in which this supply is inade- 

 quate. There is room, therefore, for considerable extension of 

 vegetable farming through a large part of this territory. 



It is undoubtedly true that if the system of distribution of perish- 

 able farm products were so perfected as to render it possible to supply 

 all communities at all times of the year with perishable farm products 

 in such quantity as they would use, there would be a very considerable 

 increase in the consumption of this class of farm produce. In view of 

 the competition with the Middle West, where the production of 

 ordinary farm crops and live stock is much less expensive than in 

 New England, such organization for the distribution of perishable 

 farm produce is of prime importance in this region as a means of 

 increasing the possibilities of production of a class of products to which 

 the region is eminently adapted and for which it possesses important 

 economic advantages in nearness to the consumer and in the fresh 

 condition in which products of this class could be laid before the 

 consumer. 



Fruit growing appears to be another industry which might well be 

 developed to much larger proportions in New England. Not all of 

 the region is adapted to this industry, but there are localities here and 

 there which can produce various kinds of fruits to advantage. On 

 account of the nearness to market and the considerable expense of 

 shipping fruit long distances, the New England producer, having an 

 unlimited market near at hand, ought to be able to make a profit from 

 this industry. 



In .the case of dairy products, prices are based quite generally on 

 the butter value of milk. Because butter can be shipped at very 



