Earliest Evidence of Virginia Tobacco Found in Jamestown

Source from:  The Virginian-Pilot content.hamptonroads.com January 9, 2007 01/10/2007

An analysis of seeds from a well at Jamestown shows that the colonists were living off the land while they attempted to establish tobacco as a cash crop, National Geographic, which funded the study, announced Tuesday. The seeds are in exceptionally good condition because they were in water, but protected from oxygen. More than 30 species were identified, including blueberries, blackberries, persimmon, passion fruit, cherries, grapes, and three tobacco seeds. The well was built sometime after 1610, according to archaeologists with Jamestown Rediscovery. When the well was no longer used as a water source, colonists filled it with trash, then built over top of it, protecting the material inside. Enditem