nTheHiftory of Book II. 



and fidelity : So that if we fay the fame things as others have 

 done before us 3 thofe who fhall perufe our work will not be 

 much troubled to find here the confirmation of a truth' which 

 comes from fo remote a part of the world, and whereof they 

 cannot have too great an aflbrance : And if they find an^' 

 thing that feems to clam with fome precedent relations, they 

 are to look on it as a difcovery of the falfhood of thofe which 

 are contrary thereto : Or at leaft ours will make it apparent, 

 that in all places the Planters do not fo exactly follow the 

 fame method in the ordering of thefe Commodities, but that 

 fometimes fome alteration may be obferv'd therein. Befides, 

 we have this further hope, that fome will find in the following 

 delcriptions a certain exafrnefs and cleernefs which they will 

 think not unacceptable to them 5 nay they may haply meet 

 with fomething therein that is new, and fuch as hath not 

 been obferv'd by any other Authors : But if there be any 

 who {hall . think there is not any thing in this and the next 

 Chapter which they know not already, that is, nothing 

 which may either inftrudl: or divert them, they are defir'd 

 not to blame our diligence, ,and imagine them written for 

 others who may receive fome inftru&ion or divertifement 

 thereby, and acknowledge themfelves oblig'd to us for our 

 care. - j> , r , ' , 



For the getting of good and merchantable Tobacco, the 

 firft thing to be done, is, in the proper feafon to prepare the 

 beds in feveral places of the Gardens, fuch as have good ftiel- 

 ter from the winds - 0 then they fow in them the feed which 

 had been gather'd from the ftalks of the precedent year,which 

 they fuffer to grow and ripen for that purpofe s They mix 

 aihes with the feed when it is fown, that it may not fall too 

 thick in fome places : When it begins to appear above ground, 

 it is carefully cover'd with the leaves of the prickly Palms, 

 or with branches of Orange, or Citron-trees, to fecure it 

 from the exceffive heat of the Sun, the coolnefs of the night, 

 and the fpoil which tame Fowl and Birds might make in it. 



While the Plant is growing up to a condition that it may be 

 tranfplanted, the place into which it is to be remov'd is pre- 

 pared. If the Plantation be but newly eftablifh'd, it is requi- 

 fite that it thould have been cleer'd of wood fome confiderable 

 time before, and that the branches fhould be burnt upon the 

 ground, and over the beds : And if after all that there be any 

 thing remaining, whatever is not burnt muft be convey 'd 

 quite away, that the place may be- free. True it is, there's no 

 need of digging the earth or turning it up, nor yet of delv- 

 ing, hut only of cleering it of all weeds, fo as that there re- 

 main not any wood, nor bark, nor leaf, nor fo much as the 

 leaft grafs. To do that, they make ufe of a kind of broad and 

 (harp Hoes, which pare and take off the furface of the ground, 



