CONNECTICUT VALLEY CIGAR LEAF TOBACCO. 153 



The preceding tables show the rapid increase in production of tobacco 

 in the Connecticut valley up to 1914. Because of the unfavorable season 

 of 1915 the production that year was less than normal. Since 1915 the 

 production has slightly increased. 



The acreage in 1917 may be divided as follows: broadleaf, 7,200 acres; 

 Havana seed, 16,446 acres; and shade-grown, 5,854 acres. The tobacco 

 acreage in 1917 was probably affected by the large acreage of onions, the 

 gromng of this crop being stimulated by the high prices of the previous 

 year. The labor shortage and the war-time demand for a larger produc- 

 tion of food crops may also have influenced the tobacco acreage. The 

 shade-grown industry, however, steadily increased, as evidenced by Table 

 13 on page 161. While the Connecticut State Council of Defense en- 

 deavored to check any material increase in tobacco acreage in that state, 

 and to encourage the production of more food products, the Federal 

 government did not discourage the production of tobacco during the period 

 of the war. The United States production during 1918 amounted to 

 1,340,019,000 pounds; in New England the acreage was 35,000, and the 

 approximate yield 52,500,000 pounds. 



Distribution of Acreage. 

 Figure 1 shows the mode or most common acreage to be between 2 and 

 5 acres per farm. There were 77 farms in Hampden County, Massachu- 



