Vol. III. MifcelUnea Curiofa. j 1 5 



muft needs in the violent heat of Summer, 

 raife a preternatural Ferment, and produce 

 bad Effeds. Nor is it any advantage to 

 their Stocks, or Crops ; for did they but 

 drain their Swamps, and Low-Lands, they 

 have a very deep Soil, that would endure 

 Planting twenty or thirty Years, and fome 

 would Icarce ever be worn out, but be ever 

 longer better, for they might lay them all 

 Winter, or when they Pleafed in Water, 

 and the produd of their Labour would be 

 double or treble, whether Corn or Tobacco; 

 and that this is no fond Projeftion, (though 

 when I have difcourfed the fame to feveral, 

 and in part fhewn them how their particu- 

 lar Grounds might be drained at a very 

 eafie rate) they have either been fo conceited 

 of their old way, fo fottilh as not to appre- 

 hend, or fo^negligent as not to apply them- 

 felves thereto. But on the Plantation where 

 Hived, I drained a good large Swamp, which 

 fully anfwered expeftation. The Gentlewo- 

 man where ^ I lived, was a very Acute In- 

 genious Lady ; who one day Difcourfing the 

 Overfeer of her Servants, about pitching 

 the enfuing Year's Crop. The Overfeer was , 

 naming one place where he defigned to Plant 

 30000 Plafits, another place for 1 5000, ano- 

 ther for 10000, and fo forth the whole Crop, 

 defigned to be about 100000 Plants : Having 

 obferved the Year before he had done the 

 like, and fcattered his Crop up and down 

 the Plantation, at Places a Mile, or a Mile 

 and a half afunder, which was very Incon- 

 venient, and whereby they loft much time. 

 I interpofed^ and asked, why they did not 



Plant 



