CONNECTICUT VALLEY CIGAR LEAF TOBACCO. 179 



will bu}'' heavily and hold a portion of his purchases in his own or a local 

 warehouse. This reserve may be sufficient to supply his wants without 

 large additional purchases the following season, provided quality and 

 prices are not satisfactory. Owing to the high prices and the poor quahty 

 of tobacco in New England in 1917, many dealers made little effort to 

 purchase from the farmers, but used instead their reserve stores from the 

 1915 and 1916 crops. This fact is a partial explanation of seasonal and 

 yearly variations in purchases. 



Cigar Leaf Tobacco held by Manufacturers and Dealers. 



The war in Europe brought about conditions in the tobacco world 

 never before dreamed of. The United States has produced but one-third 

 of the world's supply of tobacco; the other two-thirds have heretofore 

 been grown in various parts of Europe. Europe is not yet in a condition 

 to raise much tobacco, and it may be years before normal conditions can 

 be brought about. Food crops naturally receive first attention. Hence 

 for years to come we are likely to see a continuance of high prices for 

 tobacco. 



The table below gives the total consmnption, production and imports 

 of tobacco for specified countries before the war. 



Table 23. — Total Consumption, Production and Imports of Tobacco for 

 Specified Countries before the War (Pounds). 



The United States, Russia and Japan are the only countries enumerated 

 that produced prior to the war more tobacco than they consumed. Russia 

 is producing practically none now, and other European countries are pro- 



