PLANTATIONS are amongst ancient, primi-
tive, and heroical works. When the world was
young, it begat more children; but now it is old, it
begets fewer: for I may justly account new plan-
tations, to be the children of former kingdoms. I
like a plantation in a pure soil; that is, where
people are not displanted, to the end, to plant in
others. For else it is rather an extirpation, than a
plantation. Planting of countries, is like planting
of woods; for you must make account to leese al-
most twenty years' profit, and expect your recom-
pense 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. It is true, speedy profit is not to be neg-
lected, as far as may stand with the good of the
plantation, but no further. It is a shameful and
unblessed thing, to take the scum of people, and
wicked condemned men, to be the people with
whom you plant; and not only so, but it spoileth
the plantation; for they will ever live like rogues,
and not fall to work, but be lazy, and do mischief,
and spend victuals, and be quickly weary, and
then certify over to their country, to the discredit
of the plantation. The people wherewith you
plant ought to 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. For wheat, barley, and oats, they ask
too much labor; but with pease and beans you may
begin, both because they ask less labor, and be-
cause they serve for meat, as well as for bread. And
of rice, likewise cometh a great increase, and it is
a kind of meat. Above all, there ought to be brought
store of biscuit, oat-meal, flour, meal, and the like,
in the beginning, till bread may be had. For 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, ought to be ex-
pended almost as in a besieged town; that is, with
certain allowance. And let the main part of the
ground, employed to gardens or corn, be to a com-
mon 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 likewise
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 aboundeth but too
much; and therefore timber is fit to be one. If there
be 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. For government; let it be in
the hands of one, assisted with some counsel; and
let them have commission to exercise martial laws,
with some limitation. And above all, let men make
that profit, of being in the wilderness, as they have
God always, and his service, before their eyes. Let
not the government of the plantation, depend
upon too many counsellors, and undertakers, in
the country that planteth, but upon a temperate
number; and let those be rather noblemen and
gentlemen, than merchants; for they look ever to
the present gain. Let there be freedom from cus-
tom, 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 hath been a
great endangering to the health of some planta-
tions, 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 like-
wise 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 in-
vade 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 re-
turn. When the plantation grows to strength, then
it is time to plant with women, as well as with
men; that the plantation may spread into genera-
tions, and not be ever pieced from without. It is the
sinfullest thing in the world, to forsake or destitute
a plantation once in forwardness; for besides the
dishonor, it is the guiltiness of blood of many com-
miserable persons.
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