26 UNIV. OF N. H. AGR. EXPERIMENT STATION [Bulletin 217 



The total receipts and average prices of all sales were as follows: 



Amount. Average price received 



by farmers. 



Milk $663,800 6c per quart 



Cream 135,200 48c per quart 



Butter 130,800 49 . 5c per pound 



Total $929,800 



ALFALFA CAN DO MUCH FOR THE DAIRY FARMS OF THE COUNTY. THI.S 

 IS THE FIRST CROP ON THE GEORGE HILL FARM OF MARLBORO 



Production. 



Dairying forms the basis of fanning in this county. Hay, roughage 

 and grain crops are nearly all marketed through the dairy cow. Poultry 

 is usually but a side-line to the dairy, and a large part of the vegetables 

 are grown on farms where dairying furnishes the chief employment for 

 labor during the winter months. 



Dairying gives the farmer with a small crop acreage an opportunity to 

 increase the size of his farm business, and to employ his labor on some 

 farm enterprise throughout the year. The present cropping system makes 

 a very irregular labor demand, and the total value of the crops produced 

 per farm is low. Some intensive system of agriculture must be followed, 

 and dairying seems to best meet existing conditions on most farms. 



The lack of a convenient market for increased supplies of milk at present 

 price levels is a limiting factor in the expansion of the dairy industry in 

 most sections of this county. With the exception of a few localities dairy 

 products must be sold locally on a market now fairly well supplied. Any 

 large increase in production would necessitate shipping outside, and in 

 view of the small producing area in any one community or town this does 

 not seem advisable. 



