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



that by truck the haiiUuf? cost varied from one-half to one cent per mile 

 for a bushel of fruit. The cost of hauling by wagon varied from one to 

 one and one -half cents per mile for a bushel. The wagons were used only 

 for short hauls and usually where it was too hilly to use trucks to advan- 

 tage. In Cheshire County there might be a slight increase in the cost 

 of hauling by trucks due to the hills and condition of the roads. 



The profitable employment of the operator's labor from the time of 

 planting until the orchard is of bearing age is largely an individual prob- 

 lem. In District V, where the most favorable orchard sites are located, 

 poultry or employment in some outside industry seems the most advis- 

 able. 



Stone Fruits. 



There are probably some sections in District V where peaches could 

 be grown profitably. The fruit buds of the peach are much more tender 

 than those of the apple, and for this reason cai-e should be taken in select- 

 ing an orchard site. A location with good air drainage and with at least 

 a partial protection against the cold north and northwest winds is most 

 desirable. Only the more hardy varieties should be used, such as Carmen, 

 Belle of Georgia, and Elberta. 



Sour cherries are considered to be more hardy than ]ieaches and very 

 productive if projierly cared for. To ol^tain best results they should be 

 grown under cultivation, well fertilized and pruned. Most of our New 

 England growers fail to i)rune the sour cherry sufficiently to get best 

 yields. A cherry orchard should have at least 100 trees, because the 

 small blocks suffer considerable loss of fruit from birds. 



At present the demand for sour cherries is none too good in New Eng- 

 land, but with more economical growing it is hoped that we can offer 

 them for sale at a price that will encourage canning and so increase the 

 demand for this fruit. Montmorency and Early Eichmond are two out- 

 standing hardy varieties that may be grown in New Hampshire. 



Only the more hardy plums of the Japanese species such as Burbank, 

 Abundance and Retl June, can be grown in New Hampshire. The Japa- 

 nese plums are difficult to market because their quality is not so good 

 as that of the European plum, which can be grown in competing areas. 



VEGETABLE GARDENING. 

 Market. 



Vegetable growers in Cheshire County are largely dependent upon local 

 demand for the sale of their products. They seldom produce a sufficient 

 quantity of any one vegetable to warrant shipping it to an outside market, 

 except as commercial growers truck a part of their crop to small towns 

 in adjoining counties. Vegetables pi-oduced locally nuist nearly all be 

 sold on the Ipcal market; and since the demand of this market remains 

 fairly constant, a comparatively small change in supply causes wide fluc- 

 tuations in price. 



Keene and the rest of ( 'heshire ( -ounty offer a small limited market 

 for vegetables. There are frequent periods of scarcity and over-supply 

 due to irregularity in the marketing of farmers and receipts from outside 

 the county. Wholesalers and merchants often find it profitable to ship 

 in vegetables during the local harvest season. Since local growers cannot 



