Eric is correct, the law limited both the number of tobacco plants that could be grown "per worker in the ground," i.e., tithable---whether white or slave and denied the growing of suckers or sideshoots because they produced an inferior grade of tobacco. Constables were appointed by the county to go to each farm/plantation and count the number of tobacco plants; they were paid a flat rate per tithable and you will find these listed in the (usually ) October court list of items paid. Some of these lists survive among the county loose papers and are usually erroneously labeled "tithable lists" and filed as such. Tithables were created in the spring; tobacco lists were created in the summer. I have seen a few that actually list the total number of tobacco plants. One of the lists for Orange County by a Hancock is acctually labeled "Hancock, his sucker hunting list." Barbara Barbara Vines Little, CG PO Box 1273 Orange, VA 22960 phone/fax 540-832-3473 (evenings) [log in to unmask] CG is a service mark of the Board for Certification of Genealogists®, used under license by board-certified associates who meet genealogical competency standards prescribed for those programs. ----- Original Message ----- From: Jim Watkinson <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Tuesday, June 17, 2003 10:12 AM Subject: [VA-HIST] "sucker hunting" Just ran across the following from Orange Co, VA, 1751: "The Pet[ition] of William Donaught Humbly Begs that your Worships will allow me my Tobacco for Sucker Hunting Last year according to the list I sent your worships . . ." "Sucker hunting"??? Any clues from the learned listers? Please pardon the cross-post. Cheers. Jim Watkinson James D. Watkinson, Ph.D. Archives Library of Virginia [log in to unmask] 804.692.3804 To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html