Page:Economic History of Virginia Vol 2.djvu/491

 of this trade bought or disposed of valuable and extensive tracts of land. Thus in 1691, James Jackson sold one hundred acres, and George Valentine purchased one hundred and fifty. A few years previously, Thomas Nicolson of Accomac had sold four hundred. The shoemakers of the Colony were probably in possession of still larger areas of ground. In 1681, Joseph Carling of Lower Norfolk bought one hundred acres; James Loun, a few years later, the same number, and Benjamin Robert one-half that area. Thomas Sadler, a shoemaker of Rappahannock, purchased one hundred acres of land on a single occasion. If the leather produced in the Colony was as defective as Beverley represented it to have been, the fact was not to be attributed to lack of legislative attention; tanners, carriers, and shoemakers were subject to very careful restrictions in following their callings. In order to ensure its proper condition, no leather was to be thrown into the vat until the lime had been thoroughly soaked, nor was the leather to be allowed to remain there until it had become over-limed. The carrier was not permitted to use salt in its preparation, and if he did so, he was to pay the owner of the hide ten shillings as a fine for the offence. He was suffered to charge two shillings and six pence for a bundle of ten hides or six dozen calf-skins. The shoemaker was forbidden to work up leather which had not been legally sealed as well-tanned and well-curried. He was to use only thread that was sound, twisted, and waxed or rosined. The stitches were to be drawn with the utmost care. The inspectors or viewers were