Economy and Agriculture
Tobacco was the colony's major cash crop
The colony's primary source of income was the fur trade. The colonists traded with the Iroquois Confederation and other local tribes. Most of the trading was done through the Dutch West Indies company since the company held a monopoly on the colony's fur trade. Despite the monopoly many colonists used illegal methods to trade for furs in order to not lose part of their proceeds to the Dutch West Indies company. Farmers were allowed to conduct their own trade. A typical trade consisted of the colonists supplying the Native Americans with muskets and metals such as iron in return for beaver pelts. Colonists always got the better deal because they sold the beaver pelts for much more than the goods they traded the Natives were worth.
One of the colony's secondary sources of income and profit was tobacco. In 1629 Wouter Van Twiller was given permission to farm Tobacco in the colony. Colonists also grew grain, rice, indigo, and wheat in order to have food to survive. Colonists also brought over cattle from Europe and herded cattle in the colony to make their lives easier. Later on colonists built ships and smelted iron as a source of income.
One of the colony's secondary sources of income and profit was tobacco. In 1629 Wouter Van Twiller was given permission to farm Tobacco in the colony. Colonists also grew grain, rice, indigo, and wheat in order to have food to survive. Colonists also brought over cattle from Europe and herded cattle in the colony to make their lives easier. Later on colonists built ships and smelted iron as a source of income.