68 COMPETITION. 
“The negroes are not only increased by fresh supplies from 
Africa and the West India Islands, but also are very prolific 
among themselves; and they that are born there talk good 
English, and effect our language, habits, and customs ;. and 
tho’ they be naturally of a barbarous and cruel temper, yet 
are they kept under by severe discipline upon occasion, and 
by good laws are prevented from running away, injuring 
the ‘English or neglecting their business. Their work (or 
chimerical hard slavery) is not very laborious; their greatest 
hardship consisting in that they and their posterity are not 
at their own liberty or disposal, but are the property of their 
owners; and when they are free they know not how to 
provide so well for themselves generally ; neither did they 
live so plentifully nor (many of them) so easily in their own 
country where they are made slaves to one another, or taken 
captive by their enemies. Their work is to take care of the 
stock, and plant Corn, Tobacco, Fruits and which is not 
harder than thrashing, hedging, or ditching; besides, though 
they are out in the violent heat, wherein they delight, yet 
in wet or cold weather there is little occasion for their 
working in the fields, in which few will let them be abroad, 
lest by this means they might get sick or die, which would 
prove a great loss to their owners, a good Negroe being 
sometimes worth three (nay four) score pounds sterling, 
if he be a tradesmen; so that upon this (if upon no other 
account) they are obliged not to overwork them, but to clooth 
and feed them sufficiently, and take care of their health.” 
The planters, supplied with greater facilities for the work, 
now increased the size of their tobacco plantations, “ taking 
up new ground” (clearing the land) and planting a much 
larger area. ‘The first exportation of the colony’s tobacco 
was brought into competition with that of much finer flavor, 
which had acquired an established reputation long before 
the English began the culture of the plant in the New World. 
The Spanish, Dutch and Portuguese had long monopolized 
its culture and trade, and brought from St. Domingo,- 
Jamaica, St. Thomas, the Phillippine Islands, West Florida, 
and various parts of South America, several varieties of 
tobacco of excellent quality, and which sold at an exorbitant 
Price. On testing the tobaceo grown by the London and 
Plymouth companies it was found to be sweet and mild in 
flavor, of a light color, and well adapted for smoking. On 
