In coordination with the beneficial geography in Virginia, agriculture was dominant, as in most Southern colonies. Virginia's cash crop was mainly tobacco which they grew in large amounts and sold. The labor was handled by indentured servants and then later, slaves. Economically, indentured servitude was paying for a servants' voyage in exchange for labor drawn out by a contract but easily exploitable. Later, slaves were used instead, and they were economically cheaper for the colony to "pay" yet worked longer hours and more brutal conditions that did not require much expense. Such was deemed as a "vile and stinking custom". In all, this tobacco sold well in England resulting in exorbitant profit for Virginia (34). Virginia was the first English colonized area in America. Unfortunately, there ended up being no gold, but this agricultural market and trade proved economically worthwhile (1).