The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1920-12-16

Would Ask Legislatures of Massachu-
sets and Connecticut for Help on Pro-
ject to Build Experiment Plant Near
Line Between States.
HARTFORD, Conn, Dec. 16.-Estab-
Iishment of a tobacco experimental station
on the state line between Connecticut and
Massachusetts for the advancement of the
Connecticut Valley tobacco industry in
both states is proposed in tentative plans
of the New England Tobacco Growers
association, it was learned yesterday.
Both states would be asked to share the
cost of the project, to which end the intro
duction of similar bills in the legislatures
of both states has been planned.
The proposition was conceived with the
idea of arriving at cures for plant diseases
and improper culture which Is causing
an annual decrease of 81, 100000 IN the
tobacco crop of Connecticut valley, over
~two-thirds of which is raised in this state,
and also to experiment with new kinds
of high-grade tobacco which, if adapted to
Connecticut soil, are expected greatly TO
increase the value of the annual crop.
The project, which has already met
with the tentative approval of the dlrec-
tors of the New England Tobacco Grow
eES dSSUEAdllOus has ACANANb a NNS AN
it is ready for final action. The associa-
ton directors are chosen from both states,
and the plan is to have the duplicate bills
introduced in the legislature of each
state.
The amount of the appropriation to
be asked of the Connecticut legislature
remains to be determined, but it Is be
lieved that the minimum which this state
will be asked to contribute for land and
eouipment will be $4,000. 1t is estimat-
ed that a ten-acre plot will be adequate
for the experimental work including the
| site of a proposed laboratory for the study
of plant diseases that develop, particularly
''wildfre,' a new disease which aid great
damage to this years crop.
The cause of a steady decrease in the
weight of tobacco, as the product which
formerly weighed a ton to the acre now
averages about 1900 pounds. Tobacco
men are trying to ascertain whether this
can be checked by giving the land a rest
and. if so, whether the crop would ulti
mately run out thereby causing a great
financial loss to the state unless a solu
ton was found without delay.
1t is pointed out by the leaders to the
industry that the state experimental sta
ton is Inadequate to devote as much at
~tention as is required to the tobacco work
but that the value of such a station wa
demonstrated by the conception of shade
grown tobacco in POqUonOck through tn,
efforts of the state station, in cooperation
with the United States department OF
agriculture. 1t is believed that aasimilal
discovery has been made in the production
of a crop of "'round-tips" tobacco in Mt
Carmel, which is a cross between thu
brOadleaf and Cuban varieties.
There are over $4,000 acres under cul
t~iyation in the Connecticut valley tObacc,
industry, about $4,000 of which are il
Connecticut. where it is estimated tina
there are over $500 farms and thousand
of employees. Hartford county produce.
an annual crop valued at about So,
600, 900.
There is no better cigar tobacco raise,
I in the United States han that produce,
in Connecticut. Yet this state is meeting
strong competition from Wisconsin an,
elsewhere.