214 TOBACCO PRODUCTION IN THE UNITED STATES. 



The result is exhibited ill the shipment to England, in June,, 1019, of 20,000 pounds, tue crop of the preceding 

 year. This year is noted also as that iu which the royal pedant, James 1, fulminated his furious Counterblast to 

 Tobacco. Although by letters-patent dated the 23d of May, 1609, the Virginia Company of London had been 

 granted " freedom from all Custom and Subsidy for twenty-one years, excepting only five per cent, upon all such 

 Goods and Merchandize as should be imported into England or any other of his Majesty's Dominions", the tobacco 

 of Virginia growth was now subjected to a most onerous and disproportionate taxation, comparing its relative 

 value with that of foreign production, for " upon a general rate made of Tobacco, both Spanish and Virginia, at 

 ten shillings the pound" there was demanded "sixpence a pound equally upon all; although Spanish tobacco was 

 usually sold at eighteen shillings a pound, and sometimes more, and Virginia would seldom bear above three or 

 four shillings." (a) 



To induce a permanent residence of the colonists, who were chiefly young and unmarried men, the company, in 

 1G20, sent over in two shipments ninety young women of respectability, to supply them with wives, they being 

 chargeable with the cost of transportation, which was first 120, and afterward 150 pounds of tobacco each. In 

 this year also there was exported to England 40,000 pounds of tobacco, of which, however, owing to the little 

 care observed as to quality and the onerous taxation imposed, "the better halfe" did not yield eight-pence per 

 pound, and " the rest not above" two shillings, (fo) The large production of tobacco at the sacrifice of other crops 

 was not only to the disadvantage of the planter, but occasioned great dissatisfaction with the Virginia Company, 

 as is evidenced in their communications. August 12, 1021, they wrote to the governor and council, "We desire you 

 to give notice to the Collony that after this yeare they expect no further supply of any necessaries to be exchanged 

 with them for their darling tobacco," (c) and on September 11, following, the wish is expressed that there would 

 be made " some provision for the burniuge of all base and rotten stuff, and not suffer any but very good to be cured, 

 at least sent home whereby these would certainly be more advanced in the price uppon lesse in the quantity", (d) 



The governor and council were obedient to the wishes of the company, as is exhibited by a communication 

 dated January, 1621-'22: 



It is a thinge very well liked of here that you have left the Price of Tobacco at libertie since it is of such an uucertuine vakw by 

 reason of the great difference thereof * * " * For the drawinge of the people from the excefsive plantiuge of Tobacco we have by 

 consent of the Generall Assemblie restrayned them to one hundred plantes ye headd, tippon cache of wch plantes there are to be left butt 

 nyne leaves wch pportions as near as could be guessed was generally conceaved would be agreeable with the hundred waight you have 

 allowed. By wch means as also by the course we have taken for the keeping of every man to his trade, we doubt nott but very much 

 prevent the immoderate Plautinge of Tobacco. Ncill's History of the Virginia Company of London, p. 282. 



This restriction was but badly observed; for in 1028 it was allowed to take 12 leaves "instead of 25 or 30, as 

 heretofore"; and in 1629 to raise 3,000 plants per poll, and 1,000 each for women and children. The next year 

 (1630) this was reduced to 2,000, and in 1631 "no seconds were to be tended". 



It was further desired by the colonists that seven shillings per bushel should be established as a merchantable 

 rate for the corn produced, to be paid for by bills of exchange on England "or in commodities to be delivered here 

 at 25 per centum." (e) Governor Wyatt was instructed that the colonists were " not to plant above one hundred 

 pounds of tobacco per head", (/) and that their attention should be directed instead to the planting of corn. Section 

 21 of the acts of assembly, March, 1623-'24, also provided "that there be some men in every plantation to censure 

 tobacco". (</) Notwithstanding the attempts made to divert the people from the cultivation of tobacco, so profitable 

 had it become through the increased productiveness under improved tillage with the spade and the augmentation 



above nine or ten, and so according to the strength of the soil" (p. 10). Iu connection with so exhausting a product as tobacco it is 

 interesting to note the opinion of doughty John Smith of the bountiful lands of Virginia as presented to him : "The verdure of the 

 earth in most cases doth manifestly prove the nature of the soyle to be lusty and very rich. * * * For the most part it is a black 

 sandy mold, in some places a fat, slimy clay, in other places, a very barren gravel. But the best ground is known by the vesture it 

 bearetb, as by the greatness of the trees, or abundance of weeds, &c. * * * All the varieties of fruits may be there in great plenty 

 by the industry of men " (Smith's History of Virginia, etc., Richmond ed., 1819, i, p. 115). 



Beverley says of their tobacco-houses and mode of curing: "Their tobacco-houses are all built of wood, as open and airy as is 

 consistent with keeping out the rain; which sort of building is most convenient for the curing of their tobacco " (History of Virginia, 

 edition of 1722, p. 251). 



The tobacco put up by the colonists for export was in bundles of leaf, as at present ; that from the West Indies was in balls, in the 

 preparation of which molasses was used. They made use of manures from their cow-pens and stables, and also of " white and blue fossil 

 marl. Under the government of Sir George Yeardley in 1619, and by the aid of it, they obtained wheat at the rate of HO bushels 

 per acre" ("Mineral Resources of Virginia"), by G. W. Featherstonehaugh, article in the Farmer's Register, vol. i, No. 9, p. 521 (February, 

 1834). 



Much additional of value as to the agriculture of the period may be found in the pamphlet Early History of Agriculture in Virginia, 

 8vo., by N. F. Cabell, esq., of " Washington", Virginia. 



a Stith, p. 168. 



b Neill's History of the Virginia Company of London, p. 243. 



c Ibid., p. 238. 



d Ibid., p. 244. 



e Ibid., p. 282. 

 / Neill's History of the Virginia Company of London, p. 482. 



g Hcmng's Statutes at Large, i, p. 115. 

 808 



