|
Of Plantations
by Francis Bacon |
|||
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: for I may justly account new plantations, 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 almost twenty 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. It is true, speedy profit is
not to be neglected, 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
because 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
expended 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 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 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 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 hath 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, as well as with men; that the plantation may
spread into generations, 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 commiserable persons.
|
|||
|
contact: morgan at [email protected] page last modified: thu jan 12 01:37:48 2006 |
|||