University of New Hampshire [Bulletin 340 



formation concerning the real opportunities for commercial dairying. 

 Detailed descriptions of each separate area are essential in planning 

 intelligent agricultural conservation programs and are necessary in 

 developing agricultural policy. This study v^-as directed to fulfill this 

 need. 



Procedure 



Data concerning the size and location of every dairy enterprise 

 were obtained from town inventories and from the selectmen. Brief 

 conferences on the productivity of fields and pastures, on the type of 

 farms, the topography, the ease and difficulties of cultivation, the 

 market outlets, and on the trend in dairying were held with individuals 

 in each town. Many such individuals helped the field man divide the 

 town maps into definite areas. Wherever it was possible to do so, 

 these data were verified by reference to generalized soil maps and any 

 available information about milk markets and milk routes was added. 

 Field men made additional observations as they traveled through the 

 towns and talked to the local people. Then the data for each town 

 were weighed together and fitted into a pattern for each county and 

 finally for the state as a whole. 



The final result (as indicated in the maps shown in Figures 1 to 

 11) is based to a large extent on the experience and judgment of local 

 people, although the authors have had the responsibility of analyzing 

 these local viewpoints and checking the areas in a general way. 



Description of Dairy Opportunity Areas' 

 The land areas were differentiated into four categories r 



1. Favorable areas: areas favorable for commercial dairying 



Production of roughage under conditions of advantage. 

 Large fields of good soil. Farms capable of carrying at 

 least ten cows. Good markets available and marketing 

 facilities adequate. Market may be wholesale or retail. 



2. Marginal areas : areas marginal for commercial dairying 



Production of roughage handicapped by small irregular 

 fields. Markets only fair and production somewhat 

 difficult. Area may have fair market but production re- 

 sources may be very limited. 



1 This classification concerns only opportunities in dairying. Some areas considered unfavorable 

 tor dairying are favorable for fruit or poultry. 



2 Large town maps are filed in the Department of Agricultural Economics, at the University of 

 New Hampshire, and are available for reference. The size and location of each commercial 

 dairy enterprise in the state is indicated on these maps. The favorable areas are subdivided into 

 three subgroups, and the unfavorable areas into two, according to the degree of opportunity: 



1 . Favorable areas 



a. Most favorable 



b. Very favorable 



c. Favorable 



2. Marginal 



3. Unfavorable 



a. Unfavorable 



b. \''ery unfavorable 

 . 3. Non-agricultural 



Town maps showing the size and location of commercial agricultural enterprises other than 

 dairying are also on file. 



