No, this thread isn’t really about that. But the boring title might put you off.
It’s for the Big Guy - you know who you are. I’ve sent you Straight Dope links from time to time, and as far as I know you’ve never taken a look. This time there’s twenty bucks in it for you. If you show me this thread, in person, by 9pm EST on Mon. Feb. 1, 2010, I’ll give you $20.
I have a feeling my money is safe. 
… I was actually interested in what this might be about.
Dang. I thought I might learn something about rutabagas.
It goes without saying that if people who know both you and me bring this thread to your attention, Big Guy, you don’t get your $20.
But I might give you a rutabaga. 
I was interested. Then I moused over the title and saw it was a trick!
Apparently in the 17th and 18th centuries there was a centrally imposed movement towards aggregation of smaller plots into larger, communally run farms, an experiment that was locally resisted and eventually abandoned. Also there steady increase in tobacco farming in the 17th century.
Just doing my part :).