30 



UNI\'. OF N. H. AGE. EXPERIMENT STATION 



[Bulletin 222 



competing season. This is estimated to be worth $30,000. The Mer- 

 rimack Valley shipped in during the local harvesting season 4,548 dozen 

 bunches, or 17 per cent of purchases during that period. District 7 shipped 

 in 4,216 dozen bunches, or 23 per cent of its purchases. A slight increase 

 in local production in districts 2, 3, 4, 6 and 7 should find a market by dis- 

 placing shipped in products. 



It is of interest to note that Dover stores purchased 2,942 dozen bunches, 

 or 83 per cent of their total purchases, from farmers, while Laconia stores 

 purchased only 300 dozen bunches, or 14 per cent of their total purchases, 

 from farmers. 



With somewhat lower prices it is probable that the demand for as- 

 paragus would be much greater. Any moderate increase would probably 

 be absorbed by local consumption. 



PEAS 



Local farmers are supplying most of the demand for fresh peas. For 

 the state as a whole, in 1925 the imports amounted to only 1,600 bushels, 

 or 14 per cent of the total purchases by stores, as shown in Table XL 

 The Merrimack Valley (district 6) shipped in only 334 bushels, about 10 

 per cent of the total store purchases. The largest amounts shipped in 

 were in districts 2 and 3, where the demand was due to the summer 

 hotels. That production and demand are in a sensitive balance is shown 

 by the fact that Manchester shipped in only 114 bushels. Concord 66 

 bushels, and Nashua 60 bushels during the entire season. Probably a 

 small part of these were brought in during the competing season. The 

 records of one large wholesale house show that most of the imports of 

 peas arrive before the local peas are available or during the first week or 

 two of local harvest. 



In the case of peas it is thought that local demand would absorb any 

 moderate increase of production, though perhaps at lower prices. Many 

 hotels and restaurants did not use fresh peas on account of high cost. 



CAULIFLOWER 



About 43 per cent of the total purchases, or 5,527 boxes, of cauliflower 

 were from other than farmers during the year 1925, as shown in Table XL 

 Probably less than half of these came in during the competing season. 



