Robert Carter writes to Liverpool merchant John Pemberton, June 2, 1721, that the London ships in the colony have dropped their freight rates to £8, and even so, many will not obtain cargoes. The prospects for a crop of tobacco this year are poor as the young plants are being cut off in the beds by worms. The loss of the crop may not be a bad thing.

      It is but a few days ago I wrote to You by the Content Captain
Stephenson, however a line of our present Circumstances may not
be amiss, All our London Ships are now fallen to £8 and the Cry is that
few of them will be full, Mackmullion was with me Yesterday and
Courted me very much for freight. he's afraid he shall not be able to
Do his business. Pickering is much in the Same case they both go for
London.

      We have a very Indifferent appearance for a Crop this
Year what we have planted is eaten up by the worm and they have
destroyed a great part of our plants in the beds, so that we are in doub [t]
that we Shall not have Enough left to pitch our Crops, a months
time will Inform us better if It be but General the loss of a Crop will
be of Service to us all, this comes by the way of London from