UK) THE PLANT LIFE OK MARYLAND 



The early settlements were located along the waters of the Chesa- 

 peake Bay and tributary rivers, as these were easily reached by the 

 vessels in which the colonists arrived. The soils of the areas first 

 settled were adapted to the culture of tobacco, which could be 

 shipped from the plantation wharf with the minimum of transporta- 

 tion. The raising of this crop was the purpose of the colony, and 

 easy shipments assisted in increasing its commercial value. 



As the developing colony advanced along the shores of the Bay, 

 toward its narrow head waters, certain places were naturally fitted 

 to keep a considerable share of the business, and to act as market 

 places for the plantations. Such localities developed into towns and 

 cities, some with only temporary importance, others becoming more 

 prominent as conditions changed. In response to the needs of these 

 towns there came to be a slight difference in the agricultural prac- 

 tice of the fanners and planters nearest to the towns, the increase 

 in proportion of wheat to other crops being perhaps the first notice- 

 aide change. The presence of a garden of more or less size as a 

 regular part of each house unit in the early life of towns enabled 

 the individual householder to lie his own market gardener, the mar- 

 ket in such case being his own table, or that of some neighbor. The 

 regions near these towns of the growing colony, by gradual develop- 

 ment made the equally slow changes in crops and practice required 

 to keep pace with the increase in population. Tobacco gave place 

 to such crops as were more directly related to human needs, as wheat, 

 corn, potatoes, and later, fruits and what we know as "truck crops." 

 The latter did not become of much importance until the transporta- 

 tion facilities were developed and stimulated the farmers into giv- 

 ing more attention to this side of their possible revenues. 



Under the Charter the amount of land to which a planter could 

 gain title depended upon the number of laborers or other help con- 

 trolled by him, which was a kind of survival of the feudal relation 

 of lord and vassal. Tobacco was the crop of the new country, and 

 the two conditions of new land and a highly cultivated crop united 

 to make strong and cheap labor essential to the profitable manage- 

 ment of the great plantations. It is not surprising that the custom 

 of shipping prisoners or "redemptioners" (from England) as laborers 

 for the colony should have become an important practice both from 



