em Maryland area. The relatively scant population 

 there made it even more difficult to keep up with the 

 fast pace of growth which other areas of the state were 

 experiencing. Industry and agriculture required more 

 people than were living in Southern Maryland at that 

 time. But few immigrants chose to move to the lower 

 counties. In 1910, 92 out of 100 persons in the Tide- 

 water area were of Maryland heritage and native born 

 parents. 



eriod of expansion 



The state's economic strength continued to be paced 

 by the industrial growth of Baltimore. The disastrous 

 fire of 1904 caused an estimated $125 miUion in damage, 

 but the city made a fast recovery. Baltimore was, and 

 still is, the chief hogshead market in the state. The 

 farmers shipped their tobacco in hogsheads to Baltimore 

 on consignment to state warehouses. State officials 

 pulled sample tobacco for buyers to see and then re- 

 packed the hogshead for a moderate fee. 



As noted earlier, the importance and popularity of 

 the cigarette industry grew significantly during and 

 after World War I. Maryland tobacco was being 

 shipped in greater quantities to many areas of Europe, 

 especially Switzerland. By World War II, 42 percent 

 of all Swiss-made cigarettes contained Maryland to- 

 bacco. 



In 1939, Crosby Wyche, a University of Maryland 

 student, introduced the loose-leaf auction system which 

 replaced the hogshead system almost over night. About 

 a quarter of the crop was sold through the new system 



31 



