slave laborers were brought to the colony for the ex- 

 pressed purpose of cultixating and manufacturing to- 

 bacco in the Natche/ district. A scale of tobacco prices 

 was fixed and other regulations were set up to control 

 the industry at that time. 



By 1722 a considerable amount of tobacco was being 

 produced, mostly around Natchez, from which a thou- 

 sand hogsheads were sent to the Continent that year 

 in competition witli tlie English tobacco trade. Were 

 it not for an acute lack of slave labor, much more 

 tobacco would have been produced in that area. 



Realizing that the labor shortage was fast becoming 

 critical, then Governor Perier was instructed to give 

 preference to tobacco growers in the distribution of 

 slaves. Furthermore, the Companv of the West pro- 

 vided special price inducements to new growers and 



"m 







^ 



■^ 



s. 



A "bird's ctjc" view of New Orleans and the busy 

 Missmippi River traffic, circa 1851. 



19 



