As for Timber they abound with excellent good; having about eight Sorts of Oak, several Kinds of Walnut-Tree, and Hickory and Pignut, Pine, Cedar, and Cypress for Shingles; which Covering is lighter than Tiles, and being nailed down, are not easily blown off in any Tempest or Gust.
The Oak, &c. is of quick Growth, consequently will not last so long as ours; though it has a good Grain, and is freer from Knots, and will last long enough for Shipping, and ordinary Uses.
When a Tract of Land is seated, they clear it by felling the Trees about a Yard from the Ground, lest they should shoot again. What Wood they have Occasion for they carry off, and burn the rest, or let it lie and rot upon the Ground.
The Land between the Logs and Stumps they how up, planting Tobacco there in the Spring, inclosing it with a slight Fence of cleft Rails. This will last for Tobacco some Years, if the Land be good; as it is where fine Timber, or Grape Vines grow.
Land when tired is forced to bear Tobacco by penning their Cattle upon it; but Cowpen Tobacco tastes strong, and that planted in wet marshy Land is called Nonburning Tobacco, which smoaks in the Pipe like Leather, unless it be of a good Age.
When Land is tired of Tobacco, it will bear Indian Corn or English Wheat, or any other European Grain or Seed, with wonderful Increase.
Tobacco and Indian Corn are planted in Hills as Hops, and secured by Wormfences, which are made of Rails supporting one another very firmly in a particular Manner.
Tobacco requires a great deal of Skill and Trouble in the right Management of it.
They raise the Plants in Beds, as we do Cabbage Plants; which they transplant and replant upon Occasion after a Shower of Rain, which they call a Season.
When it is grown up they top it, or nip off the Head, succour it, or cut off the Ground Leaves, weed it, hill it; and when ripe, they cut it down about six or eight Leaves on a Stalk, which they carry into airy Tobacco Houses; after it is withered a little in the Sun, there it is hung to dry on Sticks, as Paper at the Paper-Mills; when it is in proper Case, (as they call it) and the Air neither too moist, nor too dry, they strike it, or take it down, then cover it up in Bulk, or a great Heap, where it lies till they have Leisure or Occasion to stem it (that is pull the Leaves from the Stalk) or strip it (that is take out the great Fibres) and tie it up in Hands, or streight lay it; and so by Degrees prize or press it with proper Engines into great Hogsheads, containing from about six to eleven hundred Pounds; four of which Hogsheads make a Tun, by Dimension, not by Weight; then it is ready for Sale or Shipping.