C 63S ) 
a plant puc out a dozen or fixteen leaves before they top ir ; if 
mean, then not above nine or ten, and fo according to the ftrength 
of their foyl, the top being taken if the plant grows no higher ; 
but afterwards it will put out fuckers between their leaves, which 
they phck away once a week , till the plane comes to perfefiion, 
which it dorh in Augujl, Then in dry weather, when there is a lit- 
tle breez of wind, they cut down what is ripe, letting it lie about 
four hours on the ground, till fuch time as the leaves, that flood 
fl;ructingout,fall down to the ftalk , then they carry icon their 
fhoulders into their Tobacco-houfcs, where other Servants taking 
of ir,drive into the ftalk of each plant a peg, and as fail: as they are 
pegg'd, they hang them up by the pegs on Tobacco-fticks, fonigh 
each other chat they juft touch , much after the manner they hang 
Herrings in Tarmouth ; thus they let them hang five or fix weeks, 
till fuch time as the ftem in the middle of the leaf will fnapinthe 
bending of it; then,when the Air hath fomoiftned the leaf as that 
it may be handled without breaking, they ftrike it down , ftripit 
off the ftalk, bind it up in bundles , and pack it into Hogflieads 
forufe. 
Sometimes they are farced to plant their hrlis twice or thrice 
over, by reafon of an Earth-worm which eats the root , and when 
the plant is well grown they fuffer damage by a Worm that de- 
vours che leaf, called a Hom-mrm (an Erma or Caterpillar)wh5Gh 
is bred upon the leaf ^ if thefe worms be not carefully taken off, 
they will fpoil the whole Crop. 
In the Year. 1667 in Mgujl {here happened all over firgfpia z 
guft or ftorm of Wind and Ram , which continued for three dales 
with fuch violence that the like %vas hardly ever heard of, it be- 
gan and continued blowing at Eaft with- fuch fiercenefs, that above 
one half of the crop of their Tobacco which was then (landing i a 
their fields was blown away and corn apieces ^ the Trees in (ha 
Woods all over the Country wereblmvn up by the roots in an in- 
numerable quantity : The Waters in the Bay in feme places were 
drove a great way into the Woods, and the greateft part of thofe 
that houfed Tobacco, had their Tobacco- houfes blown down and 
their Tobacco fpoiled ; fo that there was not fully one part of 
three faved of what would have been made that year. 
The Planters houfes are built all along the fides of the Rivers 
for the conveniency of shipping; they build after the EfJglfJh 
manner, whiting the infide of their houfes wirh Mortar , made of 
burnt Oyfler-flbeils infteadof lirne.. They have pure and wholef mi 
waterj 
