138 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



to the historian, the Virginia colonists became fascinated 

 with it. He gives the credit to John Rolfe, the husband of 

 Pocahontas, of inaugurating, in 1612, the systematic culti- 

 vation of tobacco in the colony. According to John 

 Kolfe's own account, he had hopes, at that time, of bringing 

 it up in quality to compare with the best grades of the West 

 Indies. 



No sooner were its peculiar qualities made known than it 

 was sought after with the greatest avidity, until now, after a 

 lapse of a little more than three centuries since its introduc- 

 tion into Europe, its use has become universal, the whole 

 world yielding to its fascinations in one or more forms of its 

 use : smokers, chewers, or snuffers. Among artificial stimu- 

 lants in popular estimation tobacco reigns supreme. 



As many as forty varieties have been noted by botanists, 

 to one of which Virginia is indebted for her material pros- 

 perity, which has held the most important relation as a 

 staple product quite from its first settlement as a colony, 

 and has been one of the chief sources of Avealth, and has 

 undoubtedly formed the basis of the unrivalled commercial 

 prosperity of the United States. 



Soon after the settlement of Virginia by the English, its 

 value was made known to them, and we learn that but a 

 short time after the settlement of Jamestown, it became 

 quite an article of culture and commerce. The demand in 

 England continued from year to year, and as the price 

 increased, the Virginia farmers were stimulated to hazard 

 their time and labor upon this crop, to the neglect of the 

 crops of grains. In 1621, the governor and council in Vir- 

 ginia were induced to " restrayne the planters tVom the 

 ' Immoderate Phnitings of Tobacco.'" They were allowed to 

 raise only one hundred pounds per head, and that none should 

 be raised but that of good quality " there were to be left on 

 butt nyne leaves on eache of the plautes." 



In 1639, tobacco was ordered to be inspected, and all 

 unmerchantable, as well as all half good, was ordered to be 

 burned, to reduce the whole unit to 1,500,000 lbs. The 

 crops of 1640 and 1641 were restricted 1,300,000 lbs. 



In 1640, the price of tobacco was fixed at 12d. per pound ; 



