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Show EASY HOSPITALITY. Food Abundance In Virginia In the Seventeenth Century, Few countries of the world have possessed so abundant and varied n supply of food as Virginia during the seventeenth century. This partly explains, ex-plains, writes P. A. Bruce In ''Social Life In Virginia In the Seventeenth Century," the hospitable disposition of tho people even In those early times. Tho herds of cattle, which ran almost wild, afforded an inexhaustible supply of milk, butter, cheese, veal nnd boef. Deer were shot In such numbers that people cared llttlo for venison. So Sbundant wero chickens that they were not included In the Inventories of personal estates. No planter was so badly off that ho could not Havo a fowl on his table at dinner. Vast flocks of wild ducks and geese frequented the rivers and bays and were looked on as tho least expensive portion of tho food which the Virginians Virgin-ians had to procure. Flsb of the most I delicate and nourishing varieties were caught with hook or net. Oysters and shellfish could be scraped up by tho bushel from 'the bottom of the nearest Inlet or tidal stream. Apples, peaches, plums' and figs grew In abundance. Not only wero grapes cultivated, but excellent varieties vari-eties grow wild through tho forest. Such an abundance of wild strawber-y rles could bo gathered that no attempt , was made to raise tho domestic berry. The watermelon flourished, and In i hominy, the roasting ear and corn I pono the Virginians possessed articles of food of great excellence, which were entirely unknown to tho peoplo of the, old world. There was produced on every plantation an extraordinary quantity of walnuts, chestnuts, hazelnuts hazel-nuts and hickory nuts. Honey was obtainable In abundance, both from domestic hives and from hollow trees In tho forest. |