16 New Hampshire Experiment Station [Bulletin 241 



Where these contracts have been entered into and followed, entire satis- 

 faction has resulted. The hotels were assured of receiving a regular su])- 

 ply, and the grower could regulate his planting areas so as to have suf- 

 ficient amounts available to care for the contracted demand and be sure 

 to receive a remunerative price for the product. 



Delivery Service 



Most White Mountain hotels are located some distance from railroad 

 stations and all suplies shipped by rail have to be trucked to their final 

 destination. This fact causes the hotels considerable inconvenience. De- 

 cided preference is shown the local men when they can make delivery, 

 provided their products satisfy the demand, as the local products can be 

 delivered in less time than those from Boston. Often local men receive 

 calls and make delivery a few hours later. In several instances, the 

 stewards intimated they would pay a premium for this service. One 

 remarked, "Local farmers have a distinct advantage over outside sources 

 because they can deliver direct." Not only did the products arrive in 

 fresher condition, but there was a smaller percentage of waste due to 

 the fewer handlings and to the shorter time in transit. 



There are other important advantages which local men have through 

 this contact. They can compare their goods with those from other 

 sources and study at first hand the requirements of each hotel. If their 

 products are not satisfactory, the steward will soon tell them, and any 

 needed adjustments can be attended to before the business is lost. 



Hotel Gardens 



Several hotels included in the investigation had their own gardens and 

 grew many of the vegetables needed. This practice is being discon- 

 tinued where the managment is able to purchase regularly from a local 

 grower ; for experience has proved the latter course much cheaper and 

 more satisfactory. Occasionally gardens are kept for show purposes 

 and charged up to advertising even though they are operated at a loss. 

 One manager stated they were changing over from vegetables and grow- 

 ing flowers. These flowers were placed in the guests' rooms every day. 

 He believed the intangible benefits more than made up for the value of 

 the vegetables which they had formerly produced. 



Possibilities of Development 



Because the growing season in the mountain section is short, there is 

 the possibility of gardeners farther south supplying the hotel trade. In 

 testing out this possibility the cooperation was secured of W. P. Tuttle, 

 a commercial gardener of Dover, N. H., who supplied several boxes of 

 tomatoes for trial shipment. These tomatoes were uniform in size and 

 free from blemishes. All were wrapped and packed in standard Boston 

 boxes. One steward was so well pleased that he allowed 24 cents a pound 

 for them, which was the price for hot-house tomatoes. 



In the opinion of this grower, however, it is not practicable for him 

 to furnish the hotel trade with tomatoes as he has his regular customers 

 to supply. 



