The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1829-06-24
From the Boston Courier.
WHO WOULD NOT BE A FARMER

'''e W complain or as those who cultivate
the earth. We have heard it said, occa-
slonally, that the farmers are in debt, that
thelr produce does not find a ready and a
prohtable market, and that others have
lands that are worn out and unproductive.
IL Is easy to imagine that many of the farms
IN New England are unproductive, and it is
ABOUT as easy to state the cause. If lands
are properly managed they cannot wear
out; Deep ploughing and liberal manuring
VIII keep them for ever productive.
i In Boston market Peas have not been
sold for less than thirty-three cents the
1 peck, and many have been sold at seventy
five cents. The lowest of these prices is
three hundred per cent. more than the cost.
4 Lettuce sells at two and three cents the
bead, Of very small size; Radishes six
Fcents the dozen; Spinach, Turnip-tops, and
! Beet-tops, vegetables used for boiling, some
OF them pulled as mere cumberers of the
ground, are sold for about their weight in
cents. Turnips about the size of a nine
penny piece, twelve and half cents the
dozen. Can any one pretend that with
such prices, the raising of vegetables is not
profitable business?
We published in our paper recently an
advertisement for a CLERK, "wanted in a
wholesale store, who is willing to devote
most OF his time every day to writing. for a
small salary" with the customary direction,
apply at this Office" On the first day af-
ter the publication, seventy eight persons
! applied, and on the second about half that
number. Besides, we received two or three
letters from distant places, the writer's of
which were anxious to obtain the clerkship.
I The reader may smile ut the supposed
iincongrnity of the facts that we have thus
thrown together, and wonder what applica-
ton we intend to make of them. 1t is no
more than this: That when business is so
dull in Boston that seventy or eighty able
bodied men apply in one day for a place
where constant employment is demanded
for very small salary, and vegetables sell
in the market for five hundred times the
cost of production, it would he we'll for some
of these persons 10 retire few miles into
| the country and cultivate the earth. We
would also impress on the minds of farmers,
the folly of permitting tlieir sons to come
into Boston for the purpose of learning to
measure muslin and molasses, to weigh teas
and sugars, and write puffs for the theatres
and concerts, whilst they can employ them
in raising peas and potatoes which will
yield more profit on a single summers work
than can be gained in q store in half a
dozen.
There is, in truth, no condition of life so
enviable as the farmers. All the absolute
necessaries of life he can produce directly
by the labor of his hands, and most of the
luxurles can be purchased with the produce
of his farm. If we are met with the declar-
alton that the lands are worn out and re-
fuse to repay the husbandman for his toll,
we deny the proposition. Massachusetts is
capable supporting three times and proba-
bly, ten times her present population. Land
worn out and barren 1t is all yet in its in
fancy, and requires only the hand of indus
try guided by intelligence, to enable it to
yield its thirty, fifty, and even a hundred
fold
Focus DAY. There is n very common
practical joke on FOOLS day in London: it
consists in despatching a letter by an I'M
lucky dupe who is to wait for an answer.
| The answer is second note to third per-
son "to send the fool farther" A young
surgeon, green-horn in practice, was cal
led few years ago from the Strand, to a
patient in Newgate-street, very rich, NAM
ed Dobbs. 1t was the first of April, and it
was his first patient. The young Escula-
plus was ushered into the presence of the
| supposed patient, who was busy writing in
| his counting-house. The surgeon explain
ed his errand, and Mr.. Dohbs, having an
excellent mercantile discernment, soon saw
| through the affair. He lowed and said,
cit is a mistake. sir, my name is Dobbs, but
| ain hale and hearty. 1t is my brother, the
sugar-baker on Fishstreet-hill, that has
sent for you-he is subject to illness:
will give you line to him." The young
surgeon bowed, expressed his thanks, took
the note and walked off to the sugar baker
on Fish-street-hill, carriage or horse he had
none,) three-fourths of mile farther, entered
among the pyramids of snowy sweets, and
found Mr.. Dobbs, the sugar baker of Fish
street-hll, as hale as his brother of New
! gate-street. The refner of saccharine juice
understood his brothers note, stammered
out a pretended apology for his mistake,
and said he supposed, as the young mans
directions were to Nh. ]. Dobbs, that it was
Mr.. John Dobbs, and not Mr.. Jeffry Dobbs,
I that was intended: that his name WAS Jeff
ry, but his brother John, a third member of
the family, and in business, lived at Lime
house, whittier he thought, if our surgeon
proceeded he would find him the person
! he sought. An address was handed the
J young tournquet at the extreme end of
Lime house, which address, it is needless to
say, was false. What will not surgeon
do to obtain his first patient, and rich one
too Away he posted to Lime-house, and
soon found how far he had travelled for
nothing. Tired and disappointed, and
scheming vengeance on the authors of the
hoax, he set off on his return home, re-
preaching the Dobbs family every step he
went. AS he passed along Upper Shad-
well, he saw horse galop furiously down
Camomile-street, and fling his rider heavy
fall on the pavement. He ran and lifted
mp the fallen man, whom he found insensi-
! be. LIE cnnueued him TO q shnn hard hu