June, 1926] 



CAN WE PRODUCE MORE OF WHAT WE EAT? 



39 



local farmers is $42,000, \^iile from others it is $80,000. Strawberries, 

 cabbage, tomatoes, cucumbers, shell beans, apples, asparagus, onions and 

 celery are practically all shipped in. A few products such as beets, 

 carrots, cauliflower, spinach, string beans, peas, turnips, squash, potatoes 

 and sweet corn are nearly half supplied by the farmers. 



The seasonal trend of purchases is much the same for all products. 

 In Figure 20 is shown the seasonal distribution of a few products, and the 

 other products correspond very closely. This seasonal trend was es- 

 timated on the basis of freight receipts at Fabyan, N. H. 



The normal hotel demand, as shown in Figure 20, for a few commodities 

 in this area does not always correspond to the local harvesting season of 

 vegetables. Planting dates must, therefore, be carefully worked out to 

 meet the demand as closely as possible. Some pro\asion must be made for 

 marketing seasonal surpluses and for purchasing of products when local 

 production is insufficient to meet the demand. 



Large receipts of farm products from outside areas, however, do not 



Weekly Distribution of White Mountain Hotel Purchases of 

 TOMATOES. Berries, String Beans, and cabbage 



PURCHASED IN 1925 



PER 



^r II 18 



SEPT 



Figure 20 — Demand for vegetables in summer hotels is greatest in the middle of 

 July. 



mean that local farmers can profitably supply this market. Production 

 costs, as well as price received, must be considered. 



There are at present a few commercial gardeners producing for these 

 hotels. In fact, several j^ears ago a co-operative arrangement was entered 

 into by a group of farmers to market vegetables. This failed largely be- 

 cause the producers did not grow the products in sufficient quantity to 

 keep a regular supply available. Most of the farms supplying vegetables 

 for this region are located in the Connecticut River Valley, where the 

 growing season is fairly long. The soil here is well suited to vegetable 



