140 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



as its cultivation prepares the land for luxuriant crops of 

 wheat, rye, corn and grass. 



Tobacco has been cultivated in the valley from about the 

 time of its first settlement by the whites. Still farther back 

 the Indians raised and smoked tobacco when they were sole 

 possessors of our soil. 



From the history of one of our neighboring towns, we 

 learn a few of the following facts : " Tobacco was raised in 

 Deerfield at an early day, as we find that the children of Mr. 

 Daniel Belden hid among the tobacco as it was hanging; in 

 the attic to dry in the time of the Indian attack, in the fall 

 of 1690." The amount of tobacco was so considerable as to 

 effectually screen the children from the sharp eyes of the 

 blood thirsty Indians. Near the close of the last and about 

 the commencement of the present century, it was raised by 

 many farmers in the valley ; Joshua Belden, of Whately, 

 grandfather of Dea, Reuben Belden of North Hatfield, and 

 the late Dea. Elihu Belden of Whately, and his sons Reu- 

 ben and Aaron, raised it quite extensively. The father of 

 the writer, who was born in 1790 and lived cotemporary 

 with the above-named Messrs. Belden, often spoke in our 

 younger days of his experience in raising and marketing to- 

 bacco. Their method of curing was to let it hang till it was 

 half or two-thirds dry, and then take it down and let it lie in 

 a pile till it was considerable warm, when they would repack 

 it two or three times to prevent its rotting, and finally strip 

 it, twist into hands and offer it for sale. 



The farmers would often take it with their teams into the 

 country round about, and sell it to the country merchants ; 

 most proba])ly exchange it for store goods. 



f I have heard my father say that they could never sell it to \ 

 the same man the second year. It was so imperfectly cured, y 

 ythat it would rot on his hands and prove a loss. 



The more extensive cultivation of tobacco did not com- 

 mence till about 1835, when the plant received more atten- 

 tion from the farmers of the Connecticut Valley, as it was 

 found that the soil was well adapted to the production of a 

 very fine leaf for the manufacture of cigars, since which 

 time "Connecticut Seed Leaf " has enjoyed an unrivalled 

 reputation and popularity. 



