86 FLAX CULTURE 



in 1682 a subsequent Act gave one-half 

 of the penalty of fifty pounds of tobacco 

 to the informer ; and as a further stimulus 

 the Act provided : 



" That what person or persons soever shall by his 

 industry out of his own growth and manufacture work 

 up his fHax and hempe fitt for the spindle . . . for 

 every pound so wrought up, either of fflax or hempe, 

 he, or they, shall be allowed two pounds of tobacco 

 for his or their encouragements by the publique." l 



The Act went on to allow a bounty of 

 six pounds of tobacco for every ell of linen 

 cloth, three-quarters of a yard wide, made 

 from such flax. 



In spite however of the fine burst of 

 patriotism and protection in the preamble 

 of the Act of 1673, the Assembly of Vir- 

 ginia felt obliged to repeal these laws. 

 After reciting in the preamble of the Act 

 the various bounties given and penalties 

 imposed, they say, 



..." which said encouragements ... are found 

 to be rather a charge and inconvenience, then any 

 benefitt to the publique, the charge thereby accumu- 

 lated likely to be great, and the effect of transposi- 



1 2 Hen. Stat, p. 503. 



