24 N. H. Agricultural Experiment Station [Bulletin 279 



thinning was not a problem on this farm, the harvest of cherries in July 

 did not conflict with the orchard work, and the owner and his regular 

 hired help were able to employ to good advantage their time and that of a 

 part of the harvest crew. 



The limited number of cherry trees was an asset to this farm organi- 

 zation, as the operator was able to secure a local market. In fact, because 

 of the difificult problem of marketing any considerable quantity of cherries 

 as fresh fruits, this form of diversification probably should be limited to 

 the amount which can be sold locally. 



In districts where sour cherries are grown extensively they are usually 

 either canned or frozen ; and in the absence of these facilities, cherry 

 growing on an extensive scale is a doubtful enterprise. 



Beans: 



The operator of one farm produced about two acres of dry beans each 

 year supplementary to the apple industry. Beans were harvested by hand 

 between the Wealthy and Baldwin harvest. On this farm with only a few 

 bearing Mcintosh trees, apple picking makes little demand for labor for 

 about two to four weeks. The operator has found it to his advantage to 

 provide profitable employment during this time to hold his pickers for the 

 Baldwin harvest. 



If this farm had about 500 Mcintosh apple trees, the time between the 

 harvesting of Mcintosh and Baldwins would usually be needed to pack 

 and haul the Mcintosh to market. In this case the growing of beans 

 would be a doubtful supplementary enterprise, at least as now handled. 

 Perhaps with special bean harvesting equipment the two acres could be 

 put into the barn in a brief time. The other operations on the crop re- 

 quired little labor and did not compete seriously with apples. The vines 

 were stored on the barn floor and were scattered in such a way as to dry 

 and cure there. They were threshed by hand flail and picked over by hand 

 during the winter. Any productive employment for the operator at this 

 season was a decided advantage. 



The operator of this farm was successful in getting good yields of high 

 quality beans. The light soil and large barn for curing made a good com- 

 bination. In 1926 the two acres of beans with a total production of 4,000 

 pounds would show a satisfactory profit even if labor were charged at 

 $.40 per hour. Since much of the hand work in threshing and picking 

 over was done on stormy days in the winter, the crop was produced at 

 very little out-of-pocket expense. 



The situation is roughly shown in the following statements : 

 Added gross income : 



Sale of 4,000 pounds of beans $240.00 



Minus 2 tons of hav displaced 20.00 



$220.00 



Additional out-of-pocket expense : 



Fertilizer $20.00 



Seed (used own seed) 



Extra labor 40.00 



60.00 



Additional net income $160.00 



