Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1661-1675. 509

and consequently three weeks difference in the seasons for
planting Tobacco.
Fourthly he thinks fitt humbly to represent to y^r Lordshipps
some difficulties not yet perhaps foreseen that are like to
encounter the practice and execution of this way of a stint;
viz^t I. that the seasons for planting Tobacco happen some-
times so variously and uncertainly that if the stint day be set
so early in the year as certainly to lessen the quantity of To-
bacco it may, it may indanger that very little or none shalbe
planted and so undoe the Planter as for example if the stint
day had been last yeare the 20^th of June, as is desired in the
Petition from Virginia, there would have been no Tobacco
planted in Maryland and perhaps not much in Virginia, for
last year there was no season to any purpose in Maryland till
the 20^th of July. 2. That there wilbe no means of convicting
transgressors without either encouraging servants to inform
against their Masters, or next Neighbours one against another,
both which wilbe odious and dangerous for perjury and setting
families in combustion both within themselves, and one against
another, or else appointing Officers in every County, or hundred
to veiw every severall Plantation afore, and presently after the
stint day, to note and number how many hills, or what portion of
a field is planted before the day, which in so many Plantations so
farr distant one from another as they are in those parts wilbe a
matter of great charge and trouble and no officers wilbe found
willing to undertake it without considerable salary for their
paines, and no way to raise those salarys. Moreover if any
Officers should be appoynted to see to the execution of it, it is
to be feared there wilbe that negligence, corruption or par-
tiality in it, as will render it ineffectuall to the end intended as
was found by experience in a like Act in Virginia for burning
Tobacco, which by this meanes came to nothing.
Lastly if your Lordshipps notwithstanding all these reasons
against it, shall think that way of a stint day for the planting
of Tobacco in those parts to be necessary he hopes you will
think it just and reasonable that the stint day in Maryland
should be at least twenty days after that which shalbe set for
Virginia for the reason above alleadged of the difference of the
climate, that which those Gentlemen oppose to this having (as
he humbly conceaves) no force of reason in it, for, I. the
difference of seasons for rain alters with the clime and so
raine may be more frequent at some times to the Northward
and yet in Summer more early to the southward. 2. It seems
strange those Gentlemen should think it a reasonable answer
to salve the difference of the clime, that Maryland may helpe
itselfe by hott beds when, I . that remedy is not practicable
by the generality of Planters there, that have neither horses nor

P. R. O
Colonial
Papers. Vol.
XVIII, No.
144.