4b 



UNIV. OF X. H. AGE. EXPERIMENT STATIOX 



[BuUetin 217 



The amount of labor required in the commercial production of potatoes 

 in New Hampshire, according to a preliminary survey by Mr. H. C. 

 Woodworth, extension farm management demonstrator, was 162.7 hours, 

 which at the above return would mean a wage of 35 cents per hour. By 

 the use of cultural practices recommended in University of New Hampshire 

 Extension Bulletin 23, this number of hours could also be reduced to 

 about 100. A few men in the state have already lowered the labor re- 

 quirement to below 100 hours. 



The most economical use of potato machinery would require from 30 to 

 40 acres. A few farmers maj' find it possible to grow this amount, but 

 smaller farmers who wish to plant only five or ten acres should find it 

 profitable to co-operate in the purchase and use of machinery. Farmers 

 are doing this in other sections of the country very successfully through 

 organizations known as "potato rings," and Cheshire County farmers 

 could profit by their example. 



MEAT PRODUCTION. 

 Market. 



The meat supply of Cheshire Qounty comes largely from outside pro- 

 ducing areas. Only a small part is furnished by local growers. The 

 efficiency of large packing plants has also made it more economical to ship 

 out the livestock produced and ship back the dressed meat. Local pro- 

 ducers of livestock are, therefore, dependent on outside markets for the 

 sale of their animals. 



The total production of meat animals in the county does not equal the 

 railroad receipts, as shown in Table XV. 



Table X^'. — Production and railwad receipts of meat animals for year ending 



September 30, 1924. 



A considerable part of the railroad receipts is trucked out of the county 

 to neighboring towns; but they indicate the demand of this market for 

 meat. 



Farmers also have the opportunity to market their livestock during the 

 winter months as dressed meat in the villages, considerably above the 

 terminal market prices. During the year covered by this survey the 

 average prices for different kinds of livestock received by farmers are 

 shown in Table XVI. 



