"The first articles of commerce to the production of which the early settlers almost exclusively devoted themselves, were potash, soap, glass and tar. Distance, however, and a want of the proper facilities to enable them to manufacture cheaply, rendered the cost of these commodities so great, that exports of a similar character from Russia and Sweden were still enabled to maintain their old ascendency in the markets of Europe. After many fruitless and costly experiments in the cultivation of the vine, the growing demand for tobacco enabled the planters to turn their labor into a profitable channel. As the demand increased the profits became correspondingly great, and every other species of labor was abandoned for the cultivation of tobacco. "The houses were neglected, the palisades suffered to rot down, the fields, gardens and public squares, even the very streets of Jamestown were planted with tobacco. The townspeople, more greedy of gain than mindful of their own security, scattered abroad into the wilderness, where they broke up small pieces of rich ground and made their crop regardless of their proximity to the Indians, in whose good faith so little reliance could be placed." During the reign of Charles I. many families of respectable connection joined the colony, and from this time forward the colony increased in wealth as well as numbers. King Charles, to use the language of another, had now commenced "as a tobacco merchant and monopolist," and in 1627 issued a proclamation renewing his already strong monopoly more effectually, by appointing certain officers of London "to seize all foreign tobacco, not of the growth of Virginia or Bermudas, for his benefit, agreeable to a former commission: also to buy up for his use all the tobacco coming from our said plantations, and to sell the same again for his benefit." [Illustration: Growing tobacco in the streets.] Again in 1630 King Charles issued another proclamation, and among other restrictions limited the importation of it from the colony. Quickly following this the King issued in 1632 another proclamation regulating the retailing of tobacco. In 1634 he also prohibited the landing of tobacco any where except at the quay near the custom house in London.