In my research in Essex County, I found that the term "farm" was pretty rare, but that had nothing to do with farm size or labor pool. If you pay attention to the writings of Landon Carter and George Washington, you'll see what the real distinction was: "planters" planted tobacco and corn; "farmers" cultivated wheat. The distinction obviously awaited the advent of extensive wheat growing after 1750, especially in the piedmont. Jefferson, Washington and others sang the praises of wheat as a way to get out from under the tobacco system. In Virginia, the problem was that wheat was difficult to raise and wasn't as profitable as corn or tobacco. In Tidewater Virginia, some planters - usually the wealthiest - dabbled in wheat, but corn and tobacco remained the export-crops-of-choice. The regime of wheat did have one benefit: it didn't absorb the grower's time the way that both tobacco and corn did. I've always wondered if anyone has looked into a possible correlation between crop choice and revolutionary leanings. Corn vs. wheat absolutely made a major difference in attitudes and voting patterns in Illinois in 1860. ________________________________ Dr. David S. Hardin Assistant Professor of Geography Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences Longwood University Farmville, Virginia 23909 Phone: (434) 395-2581 e-mail: [log in to unmask] ******************** "For as Geography without History seemeth a carkasse without motion, so History without Geography wandreth as a Vagrant without a certaine habitation." John Smith, 1627 ---- Original message ---- Date: Thu, 27 Sep 2007 21:18:10 -0400 From: Harold Gill <[log in to unmask]> Subject: Re: land definitions To: [log in to unmask] >I think the reason the term farm is seen so rarely in Virginia is because >most people grew tobacco as a staple crop so most agricultural operations >were plantations. >HBG >----- Original Message ----- >From: "Joan Horsley" <[log in to unmask]> >To: <[log in to unmask]> >Sent: Thursday, September 27, 2007 7:58 PM >Subject: Re: [VA-HIST] land definitions > > >> I'm interested in your distinction between "plantation" and "farm," >> because I don't think I've ever seen the word "farm" in pre-Revolution >> northern Virginia deeds, road orders, or wills, only "plantation." I had >> assumed that "plantation" in such records was a generic term for >> cultivated land regardless of crop, size, etc--at least that's how it >> seemed to be used. >> >> There's this example from a 1710 document regarding the distribution of >> land to the Huguenot refugees of Manakin. Here again "plantation" seems >> just to mean "farm" or even simply a piece of land that could be farmed: >> >> "And it is further Ordered, that such of the French Refugees as have >> bought the Plantations, or dividents of any other of the said Nation in >> the first 5,000 Acres, shall have and enjoy the same without prejudice to >> such Purchaser, to hold the Land due to him for his own share, and to take >> up as much more as will make his said Share the Compleat quantity of 133 >> Acres. [R. A. Brock's Huguenot Documents] >> >> Could it be that, at least early on, the use of "plantation" differed >> depending on the context--a kind of value-neutral "place of planting" for >> a land or court record versus a social situation with cultural and class >> implications of heirarchy? Or have I misunderstood the records? >> >> Joan Horsley >> >> Harold Gill <[log in to unmask]> wrote: >> Plantations in Virginia produced a staple crop such as tobacco while >> farms >> produced provisions such as corn, wheat, and other grains.William Nelson >> wrote that his son Hugh converted one of his plantations to a farm for >> growing provisions instead of tobacco. John Adams wrote in Feb. 1777: "The >> Planters are those who raise Tobacco and the Farmers such as raise Wheat >> &c." This distinction seems to have been normal in 18th century Virginia. >> HBG >> >> >> -- >> No virus found in this incoming message. >> Checked by AVG Free Edition. >> Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: 269.13.32/1033 - Release Date: >> 9/27/2007 11:06 AM >> >>