Plantations

PLANTATIONS are amongst ancient, primitive, and heroical works.

When the world was young, it begat more children. But now it is old, it begets fewer. Plantations are the children of former kingdoms.

I like a plantation in a pure soil where people are not displanted to plant in others.

• Otherwise it is would be an extirpation, than a plantation.

Planting of countries, is like planting of woods.

• You must make account to leese almost 20 years’ profit, and expect your recompense in the end.

For the principal thing, that hath been the destruction of most plantations, hath been the base and hasty drawing of profit, in the first years.

Speedy profit is not to be neglected, as far as may stand with the good of the plantation, but no further.

It is shameful to employ the scum of people and wicked condemned men to be the planting labor.

• It spoils the plantation.

They will:

• live like rogues forever
• not fall to work
• be lazy
• do mischief
• spend victuals
• be quickly weary
• then certify over to their country, to the discredit of the plantation.

The planting labor should be gardeners, ploughmen, laborers, smiths, carpenters, joiners, fishermen, fowlers, with some few apothecaries, surgeons, cooks, and bakers.

In a country of plantation, first look about, what kind of victual the country yields of itself to hand; as chestnuts, walnuts, pineapples, olives, dates, plums, cherries, wild honey, and the like; and make use of them.

Then consider what victual or esculent things there are, which grow speedily, and within the year; as parsnips, carrots, turnips, onions, radish, artichokes of Hierusalem, maize, and the like.

Wheat, barley, and oats ask too much labor. But with pease and beans you may begin, both because they ask less labor, and because they serve as meat and bread.

Rice also increases much, and is a kind of meat.

Above all, there should be brought store of biscuit, oat-meal, flour, meal, and the like, in the beginning, till bread may be had.

This is because beasts, or birds, take chiefly such as are least subject to diseases, and multiply fastest; as swine, goats, cocks, hens, turkeys, geese, house-doves, and the like.

The victual in plantations should be expended almost as in a besieged town; that is, with certain allowance.

Let the main part of the ground, employed to gardens or corn, be to a common stock; and to be laid in, and stored up, and then delivered out in proportion; besides some spots of ground, that any particular person will manure for his own private.

Consider what commodities, the soil where the plantation is, doth naturally yield, that they may some way help to defray the charge of the plantation (so it be not, as was said, to the untimely prejudice of the main business), as it hath fared with tobacco in Virginia.

Wood commonly abounds too much. Therefore, timber is fit to be one.

If there is iron ore, and streams whereupon to set the mills, iron is a brave commodity where wood aboundeth.

Making of bay-salt, if the climate be proper for it, would be put in experience. Growing silk likewise, if any be, is a likely commodity.

Pitch and tar, where store of firs and pines are, will not fail.

So drugs and sweet woods, where they are, cannot but yield great profit. Soap-ashes likewise, and other things that may be thought of. But moil not too much under ground; for the hope of mines is very uncertain, and useth to make the planters lazy, in other things.

Its administration should be in the hands of one, assisted with some counsel.

Let them have commission to exercise martial laws, with some limitation.

Above all, let men make that profit, of being in the wilderness, as they have God always, and his service, before their eyes.

The plantation administration should not depend on too many counsellors and undertakers. They should be noblemen and gentlemen instead of merchants. This is because merchants look forever to the present gain.

Let there be freedom from custom, till the plantation be of strength; and not only freedom from custom, but freedom to carry their commodities, where they may make their best of them, except there be some special cause of caution.

Cram not in people, by sending too fast company after company; but rather harken how they waste, and send supplies proportionably; but so, as the number may live well in the plantation, and not by surcharge be in penury.

It has been a great endangering to the health of some plantations, that they have built along the sea and rivers, in marish and unwholesome grounds. Therefore, though you begin there, to avoid carriage and like discommodities, yet build still rather upwards from the streams, than along.

It concerneth likewise the health of the plantation, that they have good store of salt with them, that they may use it in their victuals, when it shall be necessary.

If you plant where savages are, do not only entertain them, with trifles and gingles, but use them justly and graciously, with sufficient guard nevertheless; and do not win their favor, by helping them to invade their enemies, but for their defence it is not amiss; and send oft of them, over to the country that plants, that they may see a better condition than their own, and commend it when they return.

When the plantation grows to strength, then it is time to plant with women and men so that the plantation may spread into generations, and not be ever pieced from the outside.

It is the sinfullest thing in the world, to forsake or destitute a plantation once in forwardness. Besides the dishonor, it is the guiltiness of blood of many commiserable persons.