The daily morning journal and courier., 1903-12-14
POOR TOBACCO CROP.
NEW ENGLAND,S PLANTING NOT
 UPTO THEATERAGE.
season Was UnpropittOus From Outset -Broad Leaf Section Near Hartford
 Yielded the Best Leaf in the Connecti-

-Broad Leaf Section Near HRrtfoTu
 Yielded the Best Leaf in the Com nnscti.
 cut Valley.
 In a general review of this years planting of tobacco the Tobacco Leaf speaks as follows of the crop in New England:
 The 1903 New England tobacco crop may be fairly characterized as the poor est since 1897. This statement, which will doubtless be combated by the rank and file of the growers is based upon the poor average condition of the crop at harvest time, and the consequent small proportion of wrapper stocR IL will yield.
 | The 1903 acreage is estimated by your correspondent at 17,SOO acres. UT | this amount approximately 300 acres were set to Sumatra (popularly called | shade-grown), the remaining acreage being as follows: Connecticut, 1,6OO; Massachusetts, 4,55O; Veremont, 200; New Hampshire, 150. Of the Connecti- cut acreage about 2.00O acres were planted to broad leaf. Summarizing, the New England acreage is as follows: Havana, 14,500 acres; broad leaf, 2,OOo acres; Sumatra, 800 acres.
 The season of 1908 was unpropitious from the outset. Dry weather delayed the setting out of the plants, and also Inecessitated resetting hundreds of acres of tobacco which died of drouth. The drouth was followed by six weeks Of cold, wet weather. Rain after rain
 drenched the ground, until in some cases the plants routed at the base Of
 the stalks.
 At harvest time hundreds of growers
 would gladly have disposed of their crops for the value represented by ex-
 penditures for fertilizer and labor. The
 season was remarkably free from at
 tacks by insect pests. One hail storm
 swept a. considerable area, damaging
 several hundred acres of tobacco in
 Southwick and Agawam, Mass, and
 Suffield and Enfield, Conn. ..- .ast l, Thee cure of the 1903 crop Is the best in many years, but perfect leaf cannot
 be obtained from an inferior growth. Tobacco of good growth, harvested in
 sound condition, should prove fine leaf. The 1903 crop escaped pole-sweat alto- !, egther. .ls.y .ss < In general it may be stated that the broad leaf section in the vicinity Of , Hartford yielded the best tobacco in New England. This strain of tobacco
 has been in unprecedented demand the , past two years, and the 1903 broad leaf crop which is free from the imperfec- tions which characterize the Havana tobacco will, barring accidents, be mar keted at pries remunerative to the growers. szss. . , st.. .-,@ @s~z.s5sss .,.ts SEASON NOT FAVORABLE FOR SUI MATRA.
 The season was not favorable for the : best development of Sumatra, or tent ; grown tobacco. This strain of leaf re- quires little moisture and abundant sun, but received little sun and su- perabundance of moisture. As one
 grower aptly expressed it, 1t is un-
 reasonable to expect a good crop of Su- i, matra, which is grown under artificial ! conditions, in years in which the crop q grown in the open is more or less of a e failure. / 5 Without apologizing for Connecticut a Sumatra, it is but fair to state that in the three seasons the venture has been
 on trial, conditions which growers had
 a reasonable right to expect have not
 prevailed. The manufacturers preju-
 dice against the leaf is being slowly f overcome. The brainiest tobacco plant
 CTS in the valley have confidence in the eventual establishment of place foi . domestic grown Sumatra, and are back n ing their confidence with hard cash. n The damp weather necessary fol f taking down tobacco has not at this S writing put in an appearance, and 1T
 consequence the season in the packing
 houses will be late. Some growers
 dampen their tobacco artificially, bu
 as rule tobacco treated to this process
 has damaged after being cased. It il
 probable that not more than ten pc
 cent of the 1903 crop has been talkei from the poles as yet.
 It is still too early to make predic
 tions concerning prices. Sales whicl
 have thus far been made have ranged
 from 12 to 20 cents a pound in tn
 bundle, with few exceptions in whicl
 better prices have been secured. Tn
 American Tobacco company, who las
 year were large buyers, have not, so ia
 as the writer is able to learn, bough
 any 1903 tobacco or secured any option
 on the new crop.
 It is unlikely that prices will rule a
 high as in 1902, which year furnishes
 g. fair amount of good tobacco. Sale
 thus far made have been of the bette le crops. The poor crops and trash hay III yet to be disposed of, and unless al le signs fail, hundreds of acres of tobacc It will be sold at from to 10 cents le pound. These quotations do not, 0 d course, mean that good leaf can b IS bought at these prices, but rather tha le these is an immense amount of inferio er tobacco which must be sold at som le price, and will undoubtedly chang le hands at about any price buyers wi ;., pay.
 of YIELD OF 1903 CROP.
 Estimating the yield of the 1903 cro
 is beset with difficulties. The depart
 ment of agriculture statistics publishe |. in a Washington letter in the Tobacc ''' leaf in the issue of November IS plac ,.- the yield per acre in Connecticut g ,.i ,4 l,6O0 pounds, in Massachusetts at 1,4( 'o' n pounds, in New Hampshire at 1,5E " ~. pounds, and in Vermont at 1,S00 pound ~ ~ These figures, which indicate a decreas oo of less than 10 per cent. from the 19( , yield, are, in the opinion of grower rs with whom your correspondent ha
 | talked rather ronra favnrahle fhan fl