44 



UNIV. OF N. H. AGR. EXPERIMENT STATION 



[Bulletin 21/ 



The commercial production of potatoes as a part of a regular farm pro- 

 gram would, however, necessitate selling to wholesalers, unless the growers 

 were prepared to spend a great deal of time and money making small-lot 

 deliveries to local stores and private individuals. In selling to whole- 

 salers they would naturall^^ receive only what it would cost to ship in the 

 same cjuality of potatoes. They would have to sell in direct competition 

 with Maine growers, but would have considerable advantage in lower 

 transportation costs. 



A very large increase in acreage of potatoes would, however, over- 

 supply this local market and necessitate shipments outside. The prices 

 of No. 1 U. S. Grade potatoes on the Boston market and of potatoes on 

 the Keene market are shown in Figure 10.* 



Fig. 10. 

 WHOLESALE PRICES OF POTATOES 

 IN KEEINEI, N.H., AND BOSTON, MASS* 

 1921 -1924 



CENTS 



PER 

 BUSHEL 



225 

 200 

 I 75 1^ 

 I 50 

 125 

 I 00 



75 



50 



25 



J. 

 1921 



J. 

 1922 



J, 

 1923 



J 

 1924 



Boston price of/Vo/US Crac/e /ess freight from Xeene to Boston 



Production. 



Potatoes are grown in this county with large amounts of hand labor 

 and very inefficient methods. The acreage is usually too small to justify 

 the use of large potato machinery, and most farmers do not make use of 

 much machinery that would be suitable. As a result the cost of produc- 

 tion in terms of hours of labor is high, and even with the advantage of 

 nearness to market most of the local growers must take a low wage for 

 their labor. 



The increase or decrease in acreage of potatoes under present methods 

 of production, however, is an individual problem. A large part of the 

 crop is consumed at home, and with the type of farmers and system of 

 farming found in many sections of this county, there are many individual 

 instances where an increased acreage would mean a larger income to the 

 operator. 



* Keene prices are an average of prices paid by local stores, and represent a quality of 

 potato much below the No. 1 U. S. grade on which Boston prices are based. 



