s 



The entry duties provided some protection for Valley 

 tobacco farmers even though over five million pounds 

 of Sumatran wrapper was imported in 1900. Imports of 

 this leaf rose as cigar consumption increased in the States. 



hade brightens the Valley 



The gloom among Valley farmers was dispelled by a 

 single word, one that held a great potential: "Shade." 

 Around 1896 a government expert had experimented in 

 Florida with seeds from Sumatra. Despite the similarity 

 of soil and climate with that of the East Indies, plants 

 of poor quality resulted. In further experiments it was 

 discovered that tobacco shaded by trees produced ex- 

 cellent wrapper leaf. Thereafter it was experimentalh' 

 grown under shade provided by thin, closely set slats at 

 first, and finally under cotton cloth. The filtered sunlight 

 affected the growing leaves by thinning them and liglit- 

 ening their color. By 1898 the new type was pronounced 

 a success. 



Though it was regarded as doubtful that the climate 

 of the Connecticut Valley was suitable for a wrapper 

 leaf of equal delicacy, the U.S. Department of Agricul- 

 ture began a soil stud)- in the area in 1899. A tentatixe 

 crop was produced in 1901 and the type was enthu- 

 siastically accepted by manufacturers, some of whom 

 paid higher prices than the leaf deserved. \"alley farmers 

 became extravagant in their purcliases of the Sumatran 

 variety seeds grown in Florida, o\ er-produced, and were 

 careless in crop management. It was the period of the 

 "Shade craze." 



In consequence, tlicre were no buyers for the 1902 

 crop; the results in 1903 were even worse. The expensive 

 lesson did not have to be learned again. Farmers placed 

 themselves in the hands of professional agriculturists 



31 



