22 



N. H. Agri. Experiment Station 



[Bulletin 298 



Population 



A population of 961 is estimated as of May 1, 1934. This is about 

 three individuals or one family per square mile and represents a low 

 population density. Even though the total population in terms of the 

 State or of a city is very small, the adjustment of people to the land 

 resources, the development of those resources, and the relation of the 

 resulting returns to the content of living of the population are ex- 

 tremely important. 



Personnel data were available for 252 of the 289 occupied places.^ 

 On these locations, 429 of the 877 population were operators and the 

 wives of operators, 42 were adult relatives or other adults, 103 were 

 older or mature children not in school, 42 were in high school, 167 

 were in grammar school, and 98 were of pre-school age. In addition, 

 172 mature children were living elsewhere. 



The number of children of pre-school and grammar school ages sug- 

 gests that approximately 20 young people are made available for places 

 in economic society each year from families in the area. While this 

 number may be sufficient for the continuance of occupancy of the area, 

 it IS thought that over half of the young people will find their places 

 elsewhere. About 60 per cent of the older children out of school have 

 migrated to other regions. The future trend of population as in the 

 last decade will depend to a considerable extent on migration to the 

 area. At present there is little in the economic situation either to hold 

 the native young people or to draw others ; nevertheless, many fam- 

 ilies may seek homes in the community, attracted by low site values and 

 promise of security. 



Table 8. Cash income of operators arranged in three age groups (includes 



2Jf2 of the 289 places). 



i 



Age of Operators 



Approximately 30 per cent of the operators were 40 years or less in 

 age, but these accounted for only 22 per cent of the gross sales of agri- 



2 



^ Detailed records were not secured from 37 farms. For the most part 

 these were isolated families who could not be found at home, had moved away 

 before field work was completed, or were reluctant to give details. The 

 population of the 37 places is estimated at 84 from personal intei'views with 

 local people. 



