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THE EVOLUTION OF AMERICAN AGRICULTURE
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Sheep, goats and swine did well and became numerous.

The colonies to the south of Virginia have about the same agricultural history, with the same system of land holding, the same labor problem, and the same general agricultural system. Cattle raising was a large industry with them. They raised wheat, tobacco, and corn, and, of the latter, exported 100,000 bushels from South Carolina alone in 1792. Forest products, such as tar, pitch, turpentine and lumber were exported from North Carolina, and on the basis of the rice and indigo exportation, Charleston became the largest and wealthiest city of the South.

Large tracts of land and a baronial style of life was the rule in the South. Small towns were unknown, the great plantations being practically self-sustaining and the "planters" conducted their commercial operations directly with England, the West Indies or the Northern colonies.

New England never was agriculturally independent. She had to rely somewhat upon other regions for a portion of her food supply, yet agriculture was always large among her economic interests.

The early New England land system was based upon the common ownership and use of a tract of land by a number of church members. The meeting house was the center of their community and only those who adhered to the faith were citizens. They allotted the citizens portions of meadow, plow lands and grazing and forest lands, together with a right to the commons which everybody used. Many Indian communal customs were adopted by them, though