June, 1939] The Agricultural Conservation Program in N. H. 



11 



Enrollment varied greatly in the different towns. In Stratham all the 

 active farms were enrolled, while in Londonderry only 79 per cent 

 were signed up. (Table 6) 



NO. OF FARM5 

 800 



Figure 2. Enrollment in the conservation program of each 

 type of farm group is indicated by the shaded area. 



Qualifying for Payments 



Of those enrolling in the program 86.9 per cent completed definite 

 conservation practices and qualified for payment for all or part of their 

 allowance. When the enrolled farms are grouped according to types, 

 91.3 per cent, 79.7 per cent, 61.2 per cent, and 28 per cent of the active, 

 less active, subsistence, and residence farms, respectively, qualified for 

 payment. This suggests that the non-commercial farmers who enrolled 

 in the program found it difficult to participate. ^ 



Participation and Changes in Practices 



The results of the soil conservation program are difficult to measure. 

 Comparisons with 1935 are subject to error but this seemed the most 

 logical approach. Wherever 1935 did not represent a normal situa- 

 tion on an individual farm the operator was requested to indicate an 

 estimate that would represent the usual situation before the program 

 went into effect. 



When all farms were considered, regardless of participation in the 

 program, there was some increase in 1936 and a substantial increase in 



"' Reasons Given for Not Enrolling: The operators on farms with less than 

 20 acres were usually handicapped in taking advantage of the program be- 

 cause so many of them did not have the facilities and were not dependent up- 

 on agriculture. But on the 432 farms with 20 acres or more of tillage land 

 which were not enrolled, 12 did not desire a subsidy, and 10 were out and out 

 hostile to the program. (Table 7) Most of the operators in this group stated 

 they were not able to use the progi'am because of the small amount of actual 

 agricultural production on their farms. 



Some farmers enrolled who apparently were not able to purchase materials 

 to carry out pi'actices, but those not signing up did not indicate lack of funds 

 as a reason for not entering the program. 



