de Abundance, as in
all Probability there might be, since the Climate and the Soil seem so
extreamly well adapted for that Purpose; especially up towards the Hills
and Mountains, which at present lye waste. Would it not be very
advantageous to our Nations if we could not only raise much Wine for our
own Use, but also sell great Quantities to our Neighbours? And I know of
but two trifling Obstacles in the way; the one is, that the Clusters of
Grapes rarely ripen together, which might be remedied by picking them at
different Times; the other is, that the Birds devour Abundance; but this
might be prevented by Nets, Guns, _Priapus_, and several other
Contrivances. This would employ great Numbers of People, has upon Trial
been proved to answer Expectation, and might bring vast Profit to the
Planter, to the Merchant, and to the Crown.

To encourage this, I know some that intend to let Land for a small
Acknowledgment in Wine. Much the same might be said of Silk, which long
ago has been made there, and is known by Experience to answer the
Expectation of the Silk Men. For Mulberries of all Sorts thrive there to
Admiration, and the Heat of the Summer has been found to agree with the
Nature of the Silk-Worm extreamly well; so that the only Reason that I
know, why the Gentlemen formerly concerned in making of Silk in
_Virginia_ drop'd their Proceedings, was the great Profit that Tobacco
brought them _in_ in those Days; which being raised there _only_, turned
_then_ to an extraordinary Advantage, much better than any other
Project; but now when _so much_ Tobacco is made, and the Gain so much
less than formerly, I can't imagine why the Silk Trade is not there
revived; which I am very positive would turn to a very great Account, if
carried on by good Managers. To this _Nature_ seems to invite us; for
upon the Leaves of the _Chinckapin_ (which seem somewhat like Mulberry
Leaves) I have frequently found a very large Worm not much unlike the
Silk-Worm, only much bigger.

If the Manufacture of Silk was carried on in _Virginia_, every Body
knows what Profit it must bring to make Silk of the Produce of our own
Dominions, in great Plenty, and at cheaper Rates than we can have it
from _Asia_.

Besides, we may observe that the great Numbers of People employed in
this Manufacture, for the most Part, might be the young, the aged, and
the disabled, who could not work at any thing that required hard Labour
or much Stirring.

As for Hops, _Eng