130 DEPAKTMENTAL REPORTS. 



merit's headquarters for this work, from many places in Connecticut 

 and Massachusetts, as well as from Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, 

 Wisconsin, and Florida. The present indications are that the crop 

 will yield at least double the cost of production, although nearly 

 three-fourths of the original cost is in what might be termed i)erma- 

 nent improvements; that is, in the erection of the shade, which will 

 last from five to ten years. It is probable that within two or three 

 months of the time of the publication of this report the data will be 

 available for the issuing of a special report on this experiment, giv- 

 ing the methods and cost of production and the value of the crop, 

 and it would therefore be unwise at this time to attempt to forecast 

 the results. It is certain, however, that they will amplj^ repaj' the 

 labor and exi3ense to the Department. 



The following, from the Tobacco Leaf of August 7, 1901, under the 

 title of "Shade growing a great success," gives a fair statement of the 

 methods employed and of the way in which this experiment is viewed 

 by the trade : 



Taken all and all, it has been many a long year since the tobacco growers of 

 New England have had such cause for self-congratulation as exists to-day. 

 Events have developed this year, which not only give assurance of continued 

 demand and paying prices, but before the astonished grower a vista has dawned 

 which in possibility is limitless. This, of course, refers to leaf production under 

 cover, an industry which, although in its infancy, has now been carried beyond 

 the experimental stage and gives promise of big returns. In the history of the 

 world there has rarely been an important industrial movement that has not had 

 a strenuous opposition to overcome. The opposing forces invariably have arisen 

 from ignorance, prejudice, or vested interest — sometimes a combination of all 

 three. The growing of wrapper tobacco under shade in the ConnecticTit Valley 

 points to an early revolution in methods which have been accepted and religiously 

 followed for generations; hence it is not surprising that this scheme also should 

 have met. and still be meeting, with its share of ridicule and prejudice. Such 

 sentiments, however, now seem destined to be swept away, and a merited meed of 

 praise accorded those whose enterprise and intelligence introduced the system to 

 the country. 



******* 



The credit of first applying the test in New England belongs, we believe, to Mr. 

 M. L. Floyd, the Government tobacco expert. Last year, under this gentleman's 

 supervision, and with the assistance of Mr. John A. Du Bon: of Po(iuonock. about 

 one-third of an acre of land was planted with Sumatra and Havana seed varieties, 

 and so successful was the issue that some of the more enterprising growers deter- 

 mined this year to try the experiment on a larger scale for themselves. 



* * * * * -A- * 



The Messrs. Mitchelson are cultivating on their splendid estate no less than four 

 fields, the aggregate area of which is IS acres. The largest contains 8 acres, and is 

 admittedly the "prettiest" piece of tobacco ever grown in New England. A 

 description of this, although it is not the most advanced of the lots, will suffice 

 for all. 



On entering the inclosure one is amazed at the luxuriant growth, symmetry, 

 vivid greenness, and general beauty of the plants. The proprietors have not topped 

 any of their tobacco, and the curious spectacle is presented of tobacco plants 

 a'most uniformly S feet high, in full blossom, and nearing the ripeninic 

 stage. The seed used was Florida Sumatra, and the stalks carry the average 

 number of leaves. The latter run from 20 to 24 inches in length, and from bot- 

 tom to top are expected to "go"' wrappers, and wrappers of the ideal size and 

 shape, giving easily two full "'cuts" without waste or heavy stem. The j'ield of 

 the covered farms is expected to run from 1,(300 to 2,000 pounds per acre. 



As the leaves rii)en they are picked and '"strung," just as is done in Sumatra, 

 the bottom first and so on until those at the very top are talten— a dividing period 

 of from three to five weeks. The picking is done by experienced hands, and the 

 stringing by women and youngsters. The lathing and hanging is a very pretty 

 process, and it is expected that the first cut tobacco will be quite fit for removal 

 from the sheds before the later is ready to be run up — a great advantage where 

 both space and help may be limited. 



