The daily morning journal and courier., 1904-03-31
TOBACCO CROP, 1904
ACREAGE OF SHADE GRoWN
 WILL BE REDUCED.
Experiment station wan Continue rs.,.-Late Open Tobacco Season.

Prospects are for less tobacco to be grown under shade in the Connecticut valley this year. The last two seasons have been somewhat diseouaging to growers. and a part of them will drop out this spring. A canvass this week of the situation by New England Home stead brings to light this general sit uation. While tents Will be taken down here and there. and some of the big growers will go back to raising open to- bacco. it is a noteworthy fact that many of the largest companies contem- plate sticking to the business on as large a scale as in 'Os. The craze over shade grown Sumatra is disappearing, but in it's place is developing a conserV- ative. businesslike belief that there is prift in the tobacco with ordinarily favorable growing conditions and with buyers taking hold of the finished pro- duct.
 There has been a disposition in some quarters to give shade grown tobacco a black eye. This the advocates of the tobacco resent, as they consider the past two seasons hardly fair and com- olete test of what the product will do. While entire success has not capped their endeavors, it must be borne in mind that open tobacco as well as shade has made anything but satisfactory crops the past season or two.
 Among the growers who will continue operations on an extensive scale this year is the United States Sumatra To- bacco Growing company of Windsor Locks. In '03 this company had seven ty-tive acres under tent, and produced 2 crop which they considered far better than that of '02. They are planning to devote the same number of acres to shade grown this spring. Manager K. A. Lane of this concern has grown to- bacco for the past twenty-five years, both north and south, and expresses confidence in the ultimate success of shade grown Suna tra.
 The West Side Srmatra Tobacco conl- pany, with plantations at Bloomfield, announce their intention of planting the same acreage as last year, thirty-five acres. They have their crop about all on hand. but it will not be for sale un- til it is well cured. probably in the sum- iner. Manager w. l.. Carncross of the Windsor Tobacco Growers corporation says they will put out about half as much shade grown tobacco this year as last. In '03 they grew twenty-five acres. At Avon, J. W. Alsop announces his intention of growing six acres of Havana this season; last year he pro- duced ten acres of Sumatra. J. A Du- 11r. over shade grown He rented his place to Olds, Whipple & Pinney in 02 for growing shade Sumatra, They put out seventeen acres. This season they will pay up the lease in full and take down the frames.
 THE EXPERIMENT STATION TESTS The experiment station tests at Po- quonock will be continued. It is intend ed to plant four types of Sumatra to perfect the leaf, two of Cuba, one of white burley, one of Havana, and one oi broad leaf. These will all be grown un- der shade. At Tariffville F. B. Griffin writes that there will be comparatively little shade grown tobacco in that sec- tion this year. The International To- bacco Culture corporation of Hartford is in receivers hand, and it's operations are of course indefinite.
 SUMATRA VERSUS BROAD LEAF.
 William Pinney of Olds Whipple & Pinney said to representative of tht Homestead that the growing of Suma- tra in the Suffield district this year vii be greatly curtailed Last season abou sixty-five acres were produced in tha district. Mir. Pinney says the farmers have considerable faith in shade growl in spite of the disatrous attempts of tn past season or two. The termendou cost incident to the production of ten tobacco renders a continuation of ex periments almost impossible, however and this is inducing farmers to go bacl to the old method of growing broad lea in the open.". Broad leaf has beel bringing some prices this year, owing t the moderate supply on sale. MT. Pin ney says many deals have been mad in broad leaf on a basis of 30@35c. pc pound, and farmers feel that there i good profit in producing this class 0 tobacco.
 While the market for tent grown to bacco has been disappointingly slo, sales are coming to light. Some of tn big growers, however, have not pu their stock on the market, for the req son that they want the tobacco to b thoroughly cured and in the best C condition for buyers. It will probabl be warm weather before this conditio is fully realized.
 One Tariffville grower states that a Of his '93 crop and 75 per cent of tn '02 yield have been sold. Prices range from 25c, to $150 per pound. A Bloom field grower, who has not sold says h is confident of receiving an average $1.50 per pound all through for his cro) which seems in very good shape.
 One of the big growers cites an CT couraging incident. Some time ago
 Cincinnati tobacco house was solicited try case of Connecticut shade grow After some hesitancy the firm took tn tobacco. Recently an order was place with the grower for more bales; tn without solicitation. The price was nc made public but good authority say it was not far from $2 per pound. Whi this is of course, a small transaction
 has been regarded as of great signif canoe by growers who are acquainte with the deal.
 PROSPECTS FOR OPEN TOBACCO
 At this time last year there was COT siderable activity in work on tobacC beds. The season this year, however.