cut Valley farmers. The cooperative disbanded in 1862 

 and was temporarily reorganized in 1870. Its second 

 career was brief. 



Intermittently, mutual associations of growers con- 

 tinued to be formed in Connecticut, some fairly 

 inclusive, some only local in membership. They were in- 

 eflPectual, partly because of the independence of farmers 

 who, inexperienced in the function of cooperatives, de- 

 manded higher prices for their tobacco than the market 

 warranted. Some later commentators laid part of the 

 blame to poor management. Around 1922 the noted 

 attorney, Aaron Sapiro, who had successfully formed 

 agricultural cooperatives in the United States and Can- 

 ada, establislied a new Connecticut association. 



This one started out well enough, with five-year 

 growers' contracts, but for a number of reasons, of which 

 over-production was given as the major one, the organi- 

 zation terminated its career in 1928. For the next two 

 decades Connecticut farmers were on their own. Then 

 the Conn-Mass Tobacco Cooperative came into exist- 

 ence in 1949. Agricultural economists regard this as the 

 most substantial and effective local organization to date 

 in its field. 



igar revival 



In the post-war years of the early 1920's the consumer 

 pattern in the states took on a different character. The 

 new mode of using tobacco became concentrated on the 

 cigarette, and its rate of increase rapidly affected the 

 popularity of the cigar. The years of the great depression 

 also had its effect; then, after World War II, production 



47 



