The second part of such commodities as Virginia is knowen to yeeld for victuall and sustenance of mans life, vsually fed vpon by the naturall inhabitants; as also by vs, during the time of our abode: and first of such as are sowed and husbanded.
PAgatow••, a kinde of graine so called by the inhabitants: the same in the West In∣dies is called Mayz: English men call it Guiny-wheat or Turky-wheat, accord∣ing to the names of the countreys from whence the like hath beene brought. The graine is about the bignesse of our ordinary English peaze, and not much different in forme and shape: but of diuers colours: some white, some red, some yellow, and some blew. All of them yeeld a very white and sweet flowre: being vsed according to his kinde, it maketh a very good bread. We made of the same in the countrey some Mault, whereof was brewed as good Ale as was to be desired. So likewise by the helpe of Hops, therof may be made as good Beere. It is a graine of maruellous great increase: of a thousand, fifteene hundred, and some two thousand fol••e. There are three sorts, of which two are ripe in eleuen & twelue weeks at the most, sometimes in tenne, after the time they are set, and are then of height in stalke about sixe or seuen foot. The other sort is ripe in foureteene, and is about tenne foot high, of the stalks some beare foure heads, some three, someone, and some two; euery head c••nteining fiue, sixe, or seuen hundred graines, within a few more or lesse. Of these graines, besides bread, the inhabi∣tants m••ke vi••tuall, either by par••hing them, or seething them whole vntill they be broken: or boiling the flowre with water into a pap.
Okindgier, called by vs B••anes, because in greatn••sse and partly in shape they are like to the beane•• in England, sauing that they are flatter, of more diuers colours, and some pide. The leafe also of the stemme is much different. In taste they are altogether as good as our English peaze.
Wickonzowr, called by vs Peaze, in respect of the Bea••es, for distinction sake, because they are much lesse, although in forme they litle differ: but in goodnesse of taste much like, and are far better then our English peaze. Both the beanes and peaze are ripe in ten weeks after they are set. They make them victuall either by boiling them all to pieces into a broth, or boiling them whole vntill they be soft, and beginne to breake, as is vsed in England, either by themselues, or mixtly together: sometime they mingle of the Wheat with them: sometime also, being whole sodden, they bruse or punne them in a morter, and therof make loaues or lumps of doughish bread, which they vse to eat for variety.
Macocquer, according to their seueral formes, called by vs Pompions, Melons, and Go••rds, because they are of the like formes as those kinds in England. In Virginia such of seuerall formes are of one taste, and very good, and do also spri••g from one seed. There are of two sorts: one is ripe in the spate of a moneth, and the other in two moneths.
There is an herbe which in Dutch is called Melden. Some of those that I describe it vnto, take it to be a kinde of Orage: it groweth about foure or fiue foot high: of the ••••ed thereof they make a thicke broth, and pottage of a very good taste: of the stalke by burning into ashes they make a kinde of salt earth, wherewithall many vse sometimes to season their broths•• other salt they know not. We our selues vsed the leaues also for pot-herbs.
There is also another great herbe, in forme of a Marigolde, about sixe foot in height, the head with the floure is a spanne in breadth. Some take it to be Planta Solis: of the seeds hereof they make both a kinde of bread and broth.
All the aforesayd commodities for victuall are set or sowed, s••metimes in grounds apart and seuerally by themselues, but for the most part together in one ground mixtly: the maner thereo••, with the dressing and preparing of the ground, because I will note vnto you the fertility of the soile, I thinke good briefly to describe.