413 



at night on a small piece, or patch, of 

 ground, as sheep are folded in England ; and 

 the latter mode is preferred to the former. 

 The ground is then ploughed, and made 

 fine mould by the harrows, in the same 

 manner as for turnips in England. That 

 being done, the plants are set ; after which 

 it is very common, if the man has sheep, to 

 keep them in the fields to eat the weeds ; 

 even cattle are kept in the field for that pur- 

 pose. Before the plant is set, the earth is 

 generally drawn up into hills with the hoe, 

 at the distance of three feet asunder, and 

 dung put in them. It is said, by the plant- 

 ers, that an industrious black man or wo- 

 man will manage three acres. There is 

 a caterpillar, or beautiful worm, more than 

 an inch and half long, of such a devouring 

 nature, that if it be not observed every day, 

 it soon spoils a great number of plants. 

 Therefore the plants are searched over 

 every day ; which is one cause of the three 

 acres being set off to every planter. This 

 is a very expensive crop, much condemned 

 by the Americans, and said not to be pro- 



