Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-02-09

same so sIiusions to silk and lowered
puma 10 bodiccs OF blue linen or green
Gov and 10 waistcoats trimmed with
80. The petticoat was OF serge, flannel,
| - abby, species OF colored silk cloth.
| n was also made OF printed linen or
| dimlty. and was trimmed with silk or
silver lace. An outfit Of gown. pstticoat
and green stockings. composed OF woolen
material, Is often entered in the inven-
tories. The coverings for the head were
Of several kinds. There were sarsnet ana
calico hoods. palmetto hats and bonnets,
trimmed with lace. to be used on sneciai
occasions. Black rlppets were worn on
the lower portion OF the arms. and the
hands were concealed by thread gloves.
Scarfs rejecting a variety Of colors we're
drawn about the neck, and nantes OF
crimson taffeta over the shoulders. me
hose, also, varied very much In Color
being white, scarlet. or black. There were
silk garters, dyed in different hues. Inc
shoes, of finest quality. were either iaceu
or ga.looned. Woollen shoes and SHOES
with wooden heels were also worn. Inc
aprons were OF muslin, silk, serge, anu
blue duffield. Fans. many OF wnich were
doubtless highly ornamentcd. were con-
spIcuous articles OF dress In the tone's
OF the planters wives. and golden anu
gilt stomachers were not unknown. sweet
powders were also in use.'
The Relative Value OF Estates
treated In a short, but exhaustive cnap-
ter, manufactured supplies" foreign anu
domestic, occupy many pages ana III
chapter XIX. money IL consldereo. Nen''
Mr.. Bruce devotes himself to me
Town" and I'm his conclusion casts
brief. Retrospective glance over the period
of time to which his inquiry has oeen
confined. From this conclusion we quote
the following:
ct is seen that by far the most
rnomentous fact In the history or VIZ
ginia in the seventeenth century was ths
discovery through Rofe's experiment
I'm 1872 that the soil OF the Colony was
adapted to the production OF quality
of tobacco which was destined 10 provo
valuable in the European markets FROM
the very beginning this discovery th"aft.
| ed one OF the principal objects OF
| the colonization OF the new country
| IL deprived the people OF England or
| all hone OF obtaining from the Colony
| the commodities which they were I'M
| porting from the Continent at an enor-
| Gus outlay Its most vital influence
however. bore directly upon the fate
| OF the people OF Virginia themselves
| II shaped that fate absolutely. The man
! ner in which this result was enected
IS soon described: Tobacco had long
been cultivated in the Colony before the
| virgin land was discovered to 10 ne
cessary for its production in perfec-
| ton: since there were no artificial
| manures in that age for retaining or re-
storing the fertility OF the ground. AS
| soon as tho soil gave signs OF exhaustion
Il was allowed TO relapse into coarse
grasses, and finally into forest new
field was created by the removal OF
trees over an area selected in the pri-
meva1 woods. which covered the
| greater part OF every plantation, ana
this field was IN turn abandoned when
II became impoverished. and the old
course was again adopted for new
area of forest-land. The whole effect OF
tobacco culture was to extend the clear
lnss with the utmost rapldity IN the
ever-recurring need OF virgin soil. In
this need the system of large plantations
had its origin. The tobacco-planter was
compelled 10 own a broad extent OF land
I'm wood, upon which he might encroach
from year 10 year, as the ground under
cultivation lost It's fertility. The adj
vantage OF possessing a wide range for
his cattle, which were thrown on their
own resources to gain a subsistence. was
an additional motive in his appropriation
OF the soil.
"rrhe economic and moral influences
springing from the system Of large plan
tations thus built up were radical and
supreme. Looking at that system from
an economical point OF view. it will be
seen that II produced a spirit OF waste
fulness, which was fully excused by the
prevailing abundance of all the neces-
saries OF life. The whole country. even
where II was most thlclSly inhabited. bore
the aspect OF wilderness. but slightly
charged by the application OF the axe
and hoe. The methods OF agriculture
IN the midst OF such a profusion of ma
tural wealth were. as might have been
expected, rude and careless, a thought
ful and calculating treatment OF ma
tural resources being unnecessary as Iona
as these resources were unbounded. II
the estates had been limited IN area. al
intensive system would have been intro
duced Greater care would have beer
employed In the use of the soil, and
the forests would not have been ruth
lessIy destroyed. Tho isolation OF life
which tho large plantation created sn'
promoted. discouraged the growth O
towns and villages, not only by dl
minishing all tendency towards co-ope
ration among the people. but also b,
simplifying the interests of each com
, munity. Each plantation stood apart &
itself II had it, separate population
It had its own distinct round OF occu
pations: II had its own laborers, IT
: own mechanics IT either produced II
own natural and manufactured supplies
or IL imported them from abroad. Their
was no mutual dependence among plan
tations. such as would have been oh
served II the estates had been small
I which would have signifed division o
labor.
4 1.-THE moral influence Of the large plan
I | tation was equally extraordinary. j
4 fostered habits OF self-reliance ia indi
Q vidual men; II assisted in promoting
D an intense love Of liberty: II strength
j ened the ties OF family and klnshif
9 at the very time that 1t cultivated tn
4 spirit OF general hospitality. Descende
e from the race OF Englshmen, indeed
: In many Instances, born under Englis
J, skies themselves, the VirginianS OF tn
c seventeenth century led a life. in cor
: sequence OF the independent and mani
n existence permitted by the plantatio
o system, that confirmed all the grea
:, qualities which had formed part c
y their moral Inheritance as scbons q
, the English stock. IL was a life tina
e allowed the individuality OF each piants
= to expand without obstacle. II Is ne
d surprising that in q great crisis Liz
/. the American Revolution. when sufi
Client time had passed fer Virginia
i produce a population racy OF her ow
1. soil. and moulded by her own materii
1, conditions, there should have sprur
5. UP body OF men Of exalted merit
,e those departments OF human affairs
" which her general system was mo
: calculated to develop talent-the sphe
IS OF military action. and the sphere
N craftsmanship. The large plantation
i, by giving birth TO a class OF great Ian
!, owners, Increased the Importance
=, leaders in the community. 1t prornot