"CAN NEW HAMPSHIRE PRODUCE MORE OF 



WHAT SHE EATS?" 



An Economic Survey of the Demand for Certain Commodities as In- 

 dicated by the Purchases of Retail Stores, Hotels and Camps within 

 the State 



By H. C. WooDWORTH, Agricultural Economist, New Hampshire Agri- 

 cultural Experiment Station; L, B. Lixcolx, Assistant Economist, 

 New Hampshire Agricultural Experiment Station, and H. I. Rich- 

 ards, Assistant Economic Analyst, United States Department of 

 Agriculture 



INTRODUCTION 



The question which gives the title to this bulletin has been much dis- 

 cussed. Before it can be adequately answered, definite information is 

 necessary on two fundamental points: 



What foodstuffs possible of local production are being shipped into New 

 Hampshire? 



Of these foodstuffs which ones can advantageously be grown here with 

 greater profit than our present uses of land and labor afford? 



In an attempt to answer the first of these questions a state-wide survey 

 was undertaken in the summer of 1925 as the first research project in 

 rural economics made possible by the Purnell Fund.* The purpose of this 

 bulletin is to give the results of this survey and to discuss, so far as our 

 present knowledge goes, the second question raised above in the light of 

 these findings. So many diverse factors enter into this latter problem 

 that more detailed commodity studies will, in many cases, be advisable. 

 The present study has been planned only to give the general picture. It 

 has been necessary to leave many problems unsolved. 



It is, in fact, surprising how little has been known as to the extent of our 

 markets. With local farmers furnishing but a small portion of some 

 commodities the stores become dependent upon outside sources and pay 

 little or no attention to local supplies. This has created a condition where 

 a farmer who raised about 2,000 pounds of beans each year was under the 

 impression that even a slight expansion in bean-growing would flood the 

 market and was surprised to learn that his town shipped in about 45,000 

 pounds. 



How the Survey Was Made 



The demand figures in this report are based largely on the summary of 

 estimates secured from retail stores, hotels and camps in every county of 

 New Hampshire, and on the data received from railroad records as to 

 freight shipments and receipts in large consuming centers. The study 

 includes the following products: 



* The survey has been made by the New Hampshire Agricultural Experiment Station 

 in co-operation with the Bureau of Agricultural Economics of the United States Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture. 



