March, 1934] Agricultural Research in N. H. 5 



Silage Corn for Intensive Farming 



Silage corn is the answer for the dairyman who wants more cows, a 

 cash crop, or extra pasture on the same farm. Silage production also 

 helps to spread the labor of roughage harvest over a longer period. 

 Less extra hired help is needed. 



Assuming the wage for labor, silage cost $4.52 per ton and hay $5.71. 

 These cost of production figures do not include any charge for land, 

 buildings or manure. 



Such are conclusions of the study of roughage production by M. F. 

 Abell on 81 farms in 1928 and on" 247 farms in 1929. Publication of 

 these findings appears in Station Bulletin 273, published in July. 

 (Purnell Fund) 



Local Potato Markets Profitable 



Growers who supply their local markets regularly throughout the 

 marketing season will derive the greatest income from potatoes. This 

 is one of the conclusions of the study of potato marketing by E. H. 

 Rinear and M. F. Abell, published in Station Circular 42. 



This investigation also revealed that during the 10-year period, 1922- 

 32, more locally grown potatoes were consumed within the state and 

 the supply from outside sources has decreased. 



Wholesale prices in New Hampshire averaged 18 cents per hundred 

 over Boston quotations for late crop- potatoes between 1926 and 1932 

 inclusive. {Purnell Fund) 



Unusually efficient barn work was discovered on one of 38 dairy- 

 farms in Grafton county which were the subject of recent efficiency 

 studies by H. C. Woodworth and C. W. Harris, Jr. The results are 

 published in Station Bulletin 275. On this particular place two men 

 were taking care of 6 cows and 40 head of young stock. 



The research showed that despite remarkable efficiency in one prac- 

 tice, a farmer might be inefficient in some other respect. The men 

 with low chore hours per cow had more convenient barns, used better 

 methods, and organized their work more skillfully. 



Low production of milk on some famis resulted from poor pastures, 

 lack of timely supplementing of dwindling pastures, insufficient protein 

 in the yearly ration, poor quality of cows, and unskilled handling. 



Yields and quality of hay could be both improved on most farms 

 by systematically seeding down a larger acreage each year. High pro- 

 tein hay made up only about 15 per cent of the total harvested on 

 these farms. 



Further investigations of organization of farms and efficiency in 

 chore work are being made in the Colebrook area. Fifty farmers are 

 cooperating. {Purnell Fund) 



Small "Profit" on Sale of Cows 



Farmers who raise and sell cows as an enterprise separate from milk 

 production got an average of $77 per cow, according to a preliminary 

 study by H. C. Grinnell of dairy-herd replacements in southern New 



