22 



X. H. Agr. Experiment Station' 



[Bulletin 260 



rate of one-half million i)er year for a decade. In spite of this drastic 

 readjustment to a permanently smaller number, horse i)rices have re- 

 mained low because of the substitution of motor power. Some day, the 

 adjustment of numbers of horses to this lower level of uses will be ac- 

 complished. At that ])oint, there will not be enough colts to maintain 

 the liorse i)pj)ulation, and a viok'nt ui)swing in prices is likely to result. 

 The regular horse cycle Avill probably continue and with increasing 

 violence although temporarily interrupted by the advent of automo- 

 biles, trucks and tractors. The i)urchasing power of horses reaches a 

 peak about once in 23 years as indicated in Figure 4. 



Probably Grafton County farmers have too many horses. Judging 

 from the ages of the ones now owned, time will soon make amends. 

 But some horses will always be needed on these farms. One might ven- 

 ture the guess that it will be a bad time to be buying necessary horses 

 between 1937 and 1943. 



1580 



1690 



1900 



I9t0 



1920 



Figure 4. Purchasing i)owi'r of the prico of hoi-sos in tlu' 



1880-19S1.* 



1950 

 I'liiteil State.s, 



1^55 



Hens 



Pi-actically all farms kept a few hens for home use. The average 

 was 38 birds per farm. Only eight had as many as 200 hens. Three had 

 500 or more, and one had over 1,000. On the 86 farms that had as 

 many«as 50 birds each, the average number was 119 (Table 14.). The 

 sales of poultry were more than the average inventory, and a fairly 

 good ))roduction of eggs sold at a good i)rice swelled th(> receijits to 

 ovei- $500 i)er animal unit. 



While chickens cannot economically use extensive pasture or eat the 

 hay on New Ilampsliire farms, they may constitute a ratlier important 

 additional source of income and provide some summer work witli rea- 

 sonable pay. Snuill flocks may often be ke))t at little exi)ense for feed 

 and labor. Women and chihiren may do most of tlie work for the pur- 

 pose of reducing the grocery bill or jjroviding a source of extra spend- 

 ing money. Some of the feed may come from the table and consider- 

 ahlf Froni spilled grain. Again, the use of i)oultry and eggs in the 

 home may offset retail prices otherwise likely to be jiaid out for simi- 

 lar i)roducts. In this way, the small flocks become very profitable. 



* Kiirni Kc'onoiiiics, No. (ii), Fehriiiirv. llKil. |i. 1477. piiblisluMl In- Cornell 

 University, Ifli.icii, New York. 



