Moreover, The French In North Carolina Assure Me,
That If We Should Trim Our Apple And Other Fruit-Trees,
As They Do In Europe, We Should Spoil Them.
As for Apples and Plums,
I have found by Experience, what they affirm to be true.
The French,
from the Mannakin Town on the Freshes of James River in Virginia,
had, for the most part, removed themselves to Carolina, to live there,
before I came away; and the rest were following, as their Minister,
(Monsieur Philip de Rixbourg) told me, who was at Bath-Town,
when I was taking my leave of my Friends. He assur'd me, that their Intent
was to propagate Vines, as far as their present Circumstances would permit;
provided they could get any Slips of Vines, that would do. At the same time,
I had gotten some Grape-Seed, which was of the Jesuits white Grape
from Madera. The Seed came up very plentifully, and, I hope,
will not degenerate, which if it happens not to do, the Seed may prove
the best way to raise a Vineyard, as certainly it is most easy
for Transportation. Yet I reckon we should have our Seed from a Country,
where the Grape arrives to the utmost Perfection of Ripeness.
These French Refugees have had small Encouragement in Virginia,
because, at their first coming over, they took their Measures of Living,
from Europe; which was all wrong; for the small Quantities of ten,
fifteen, and twenty Acres to a Family did not hold out according to
their way of Reckoning, by Reason they made very little or no Fodder;
and the Winter there being much harder than with us, their Cattle fail'd;
chiefly, because the English took up and survey'd all the Land
round about them; so that they were hemm'd in on all Hands
from providing more Land for themselves or their Children,
all which is highly prejudicial in America, where the generality
are bred up to Planting. One of these French Men being a Fowling,
shot a Fowl in the River, upon which his Dog went down the Bank
to bring it to his Master; but the Bank was so high and steep,
that he could not get up again. Thereupon, the French Man went down,
to help his Dog up, and breaking the Mould away, accidentally, with his Feet,
he discover'd a very rich Coal-Mine. This Adventure he gave an Account of
amongst the Neighbourhood, and presently one of the Gentlemen of that Part
survey'd the Land, and the poor French Man got nothing by his Discovery.
The French are good Neighbours amongst us, and give Examples of Industry,
which is much wanted in this Country. They make good Flax, Hemp,
Linnen-Cloth and Thread; which they exchange amongst the Neighbourhood
for other Commodities, for which they have occasion.
We have hitherto made no Tryal of foreign Herbage; but, doubtless,
it would thrive well; especially, Sanfoin, and those Grasses,
that endure Heat, and dry Grounds. As for our Low Lands, such as Marshes,
Savannas and Percoarson-Ground, which lies low, all of them naturally afford
good Land for Pasturage.
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