THE TIM BUNKER PAPERS. 293 



their families comfortably, and on the whole, are no worse 

 for their city experience. Then I have noticed again, that 

 a good many who succeed in the city, acquire a compe 

 tence, and before they are spoiled, retire to the country 

 to lead an industrious rural life. They become large pro 

 ducers of breadstuffs, and supply the city markets with fat 

 cattle, sheep, and swine. They rejoice in their well-tilled 

 farms, and in their flocks and herds. Then again, I have 

 noticed that some of our very best small farmers and gar 

 deners are city bred people, tradesmen, or mechanics, who 

 from failure of health or disgust with the city, come into 

 the country, near good markets, to support their families 

 from the soil. They have thrifty habits, some capital, and 

 succeed admirably by making the most of a little land. 

 Thousands in these ways are changed from consumers into 

 producers, every year. If multitudes flock to the city, 

 multitudes come back to the country. 



&quot; And then there is a growing tendency among our city 

 people to scatter themselves in the neighboring towns. A 

 large part of the men who do business in New York, live 

 out from five to fifty miles in the country. Some have 

 small homesteads, but they are all to some extent cultiva 

 tors, and draw a part of their support from the soil. And 

 this tendency is on the increase, and will grow with the 

 increased facilities for travel that every large city is mak 

 ing for itself. This will not only help to unburden the 

 city, but will add to the production of the country, and 

 help to make food cheaper.&quot; 



&quot; I shouldn t wonder if we had New Yorkers living in 

 Hookertown, yet,&quot; said Seth. 



&quot;Stranger things have happened,&quot; said I. 



&quot; I shall beat em on cabbage tho , if the smartest of 

 em come,&quot; said Seth, with an extra puff. 



&quot;It takes Dutchmen for cabbage. You should not 

 brag ! &quot; I continued. 



&quot; Then there is another thing in connection with this 



