46 N. H. Agri. Experiment Station [Bulletin 298 



ping of land in turn results in a loss of tax base and consequently still 

 higher rates on the remaining resources. In addition it depreciates the 

 recreational values and lessens the possibility of summer development. 



Thus a vicious downward spiral of depletion of forest resources and 

 high tax rates may be initiated if the ratio of local costs of government 

 to assets become too narrow. Once underway this downward spiral is 

 difficult to check. 



The town of Dorchester has held the tax rate reasonably low. The 

 western half of the town with the exception of a few places near the 

 Canaan border was abandoned and the highway and educational facili- 

 ties were mostly confined to the eastern part. Under these conditions and 

 with good management of fiscal affairs the tax rate in 1934 was $2.24. 



Then several families moved into locations in the western part of the 

 town abandoned years ago. It was estimated in December that the 

 extra costs due to the location of these families would total about $2,000. 

 State-aid will absorb part of this cost, but the town faces the problem of 

 a shrinking tax base and increasing local costs. Even with intelligent 

 local management of public affairs the town may face a rapid rise in 

 tax rate and a continued depletion of forest resources. In the end the 

 town will need to restrict its services or else the larger public will have 

 to share their cost. 



The future of these back areas seems to be largely in development of 

 timber resources and in further increase in summer occupation. The 

 exploitation of these resources through local taxation to maintain ob- 

 solete public services will result eventually in decreased local employ- 

 ment and depopulation of the entire area. 



A more direct and socially productive method should be worked out 

 of relating the local people to the forest resources. If in the final anal- 

 ysis local workers are not needed in productive activities in the area, 

 any public subsidy should be temporary in character and directed to- 

 ward readjustment. 



HISTORY OF THE AREA 



A brief review of the history of this area furnishes an important 

 background for consideration of its future. 



Soldiers passing through in the Indian Wars of 1760 had taken an 

 interest in the possibilities of the region. Some of these returned as 

 settlers within the next few years. By 1772 the settlement of the in- 

 terior was well under way, and most of the land had been allotted. For 

 the next 30 years the clearing of land and establishment of homes 

 were pushed with vigor. The first development was a self-sufficing 

 agriculture, but as more tillage land and pasture became available on 

 some farms, additional products were raised for sale. Many farms 

 never developed beyond the self-sufficing stage, and some of these were 

 not occupied for more than 30 or 40 years. Fat cattle represented 

 the principal enterprise in the early 1800 's, but beginning about 1828 

 the sheep industry developed rapidly. Production in the area was 

 probably at its peak in the period from 1835 to 1845. Land clearing 

 had been extended, and cattle and sheep farming were established to 

 the limit of the land resources. The better soils were still fertile, and 



