Part 5 (1/2)
The Oak, _&c._ is of quick Growth, consequently will not last so long as ours; though it has a good _Grain_, and is freer from Knots, and will last long enough for s.h.i.+pping, and ordinary Uses.
When a _Tract of Land is seated_, they _clear_ it by felling the Trees about a Yard from the Ground, lest they should shoot again. What Wood they have Occasion for they carry off, and burn the rest, or let it lie and rot upon the Ground.
The Land between the Logs and Stumps they _how_ up, planting _Tobacco_ there in the Spring, inclosing it with a slight _Fence_ of cleft Rails.
This will last for _Tobacco_ some Years, if the Land be good; as it is where _fine Timber_, or _Grape Vines_ grow.
Land when tired is _forced_ to bear _Tobacco_ by penning their Cattle upon it; but _Cowpen Tobacco_ tastes strong, and that planted in wet marshy Land is called _Nonburning Tobacco_, which smoaks in the Pipe like Leather, unless it be of a good Age.
When Land is tired of _Tobacco_, it will bear _Indian Corn_ or _English Wheat_, or any other _European Grain_ or _Seed_, with wonderful Increase.
_Tobacco_ and _Indian Corn_ are planted in _Hills_ as Hops, and secured by _Wormfences_, which are made of Rails supporting one another very firmly in a particular Manner.
_Tobacco_ requires a great deal of Skill and Trouble in the right Management of it.
They raise the Plants in _Beds_, as we do Cabbage Plants; which they _transplant_ and _replant_ upon Occasion after a Shower of Rain, which they call a _Season_.
When it is grown up they _top_ it, or nip off the Head, _succour_ it, or cut off the Ground Leaves, _weed_ it, _hill_ it; and when ripe, they _cut_ it down about six or eight Leaves on a Stalk, which they carry into airy _Tobacco Houses_; after it is withered a little in the Sun, there it is hung to dry on _Sticks_, as Paper at the Paper-Mills; when it is in proper Case, (as they call it) and the Air neither too moist, nor too dry, they _strike_ it, or take it down, then cover it up in _Bulk_, or a great Heap, where it lies till they have Leisure or Occasion to _stem_ it (that is pull the Leaves from the Stalk) or _strip_ it (that is take out the great Fibres) and _tie_ it up in _Hands_, or _streight lay it_; and so by Degrees _prize_ or press it with proper Engines into great Hogsheads, containing from about six to eleven hundred Pounds; four of which Hogsheads make a _Tun_, by Dimension, not by Weight; then it is ready for Sale or s.h.i.+pping.
There are two Sorts of _Tobacco_, viz. _Oroonoko_ the stronger, and _Sweetscented_ the milder; the first with a sharper Leaf like a Fox's Ear, and the other rounder and with finer Fibres: But each of these are varied into several Sorts, much as Apples and Pears are; and I have been informed by the _Indian Traders_, that the _Inland Indians_ have Sorts of _Tobacco_ much differing from any planted or used by the _Europeans_.
The _Indian Corn_ is planted in Hills, and weeded much as _Tobacco_.
This Grain is of great Increase and most general Use; for with this is made good _Bread_, _Cakes_, _Mush_, and _Hommony_ for the _Negroes_, which with good _Pork_ and _Potatoes_ (red and white, very nice and different from ours) with other _Roots_ and _Pulse_, are their general Food.
_Indian Corn_ is the best Food for _Cattle_, _Hogs_, _Sheep_ and _Horses_; and the _Blades_ and _Tops_ are excellent _Fodder_, when well cured, which is commonly used, though many raise good _Clover_ and _Oats_; and some have planted Sanfoin, _&c._
In the _Marshes_, and _Woods_, and _old Fields_ is good _Range_ for _Stock_ in the Spring, Summer, and Fall; and the _Hogs_ will run fat with certain Roots of Flags and _Reeds_, which abounding in the _Marshes_ they root up and eat.
Besides, at the _Plantations_ are standard _Peach-Trees_, and _Apple-Trees_, planted out in _Orchards_, on Purpose almost for the _Hogs_.
The _Peaches_ abound, and are of a delicious Taste, and _Apple-Trees_ are raised from the _Seeds_ very soon, which kind of Kernel Fruit needs no grafting, and is diversify'd into numberless Sorts, and makes, with good Management, an excellent _Cyder_, not much inferior to that of _Herefords.h.i.+re_, when kept to a good Age; which is rarely done, the _Planters_ being good _Companions_ and _Guests_ whilst the _Cyder_ lasts. Here _Cherries_ thrive much better (I think) than in _England_; tho' the _Fruit-Trees_ soon decay, yet they are soon raised to great Perfection.
As for _Wool_, I have had near as good as any near _Leominster_; and it might be much improved if the _Sheep_ were housed every Night, and foddered and littered as in _Urchinfield_, where they have by such Means the finest _Wool_; but to do this, would be of little Use, since it is contrary to the Interest of _Great Britain_ to allow them Exportation of their Woollen Manufactures; and what little Woollen is there made might be nearly had as cheap, and better from _England_.
As for _Provision_, there is Variety of excellent _Fish_ in great Plenty easily taken; especially _Oysters_, _Sheepsheads_, _Rocks_, _large Trouts_, _Crabs_, _Drums_, _Sturgeons_, &c.
They have the same tame Fowl as in _England_, only they propagate better; but they exceed in _wild Geese_ and _Ducks_, _Cohoncks_, _Blew-Wings_, _Teal_, _Blew-Wings_, _Teal_, _Swans_, and _Mallard_.
Their _Beef_ and _Veal_ is small, sweet, and fat enough; their _Pork_ is famous, whole _Virginia Shoots_ being frequently _barbacued_ in _England_; their _Bacon_ is excellent, the _Hams_ being scarce to be distinguished from those of _Westphalia_; but their _Mutton_ and _Lamb_ some Folks don't like, though others extol it. Their _b.u.t.ter_ is good and plentiful enough. Their _Venison_ in the lower Parts of the Country is not so plentiful as it has been, tho' there be enough and tolerably good; but in the _Frontier Counties_ they abound with _Venison_, _wild Turkies_, &c. where the common People sometimes dress _Bears_, whose Flesh, they say, is not to be well distinguished from good _Pork_ or _Bacon_.
They pull the _Down_ of their living _Geese_ and wild and tame _Ducks_, wherewith they make the softest and sweetest _Beds_.
The _Houses_ stand sometimes two or three together; and in other Places a Quarter, half a Mile, or a Mile, or two, asunder, much as in the _Country_ in _England_.
CHAP. V.
_Of the_ Habits, Customs, Parts, Imployments, Trade, _&c. of the_ Virginians; _and of the Weather, Coin, Sickness, Liquors, Servants, Poor, Pitch, Tar, Oar_, &c.