Wilmington daily gazette., 1873-06-10
A BERK'S COUNTY FARM.
From TIE Reading Eagle.
christopher ShsaFeF's Farm.

Sir huadrei Pear and 900 Apple Irees-Oosr 40
AcreS of P0tatosS-R Refrigerator Capable of
Holding 1000 BasAelS Of Frmt-Hay and
Gram Burn $50 Feet Long
Mr.. Christopher Shearer is one OF the most sue
ces5ful fruit growers aud agrcultursts in this sec
ton of the State. His farm is beautifully located
ia Muhlenburg township, near TuckeTton, about
five miles above Reading, 1t consists OF IS acres,
which he has cultivated for period of Is years.
The farm is divided int1 hsld5 of III to Is acres
each, including two orchards, ono an apple and |
the other pear orchard By careful and intelli- |
gelt farming the land has been brought to the |
highest state OF cultivation, and abundant crops
are the result. Yesterday an Eagle reporter visit
cd the premises and passed through the buildings
and over the different parts Of the farm.
Upon the tract are the usual farm buildings,
and none are peculiar or need special mention ex-
cepting the hay and grain barn, the hog stables,
and the ice house refrigerator. The hay and grain
barn is l50 feet long BY So feet wide is located
along an elevation or enlbankmeRt, aud 90 con-
strueted. that lOadsd wagon can DO driven
through It the whole length aud inloaded BY
pitching the hay dotlN instead Of up, The refrig-
orator "a So feet square, was built three years ago.
and holds, when iled, about l40 cart hOads of ice
and 1000 bushels Of fruit. The ice is obtained
from dam close by, on the premises Last fall
Mr. Shsarsr placed l,7s0 bushels OF apples $50
bushels Of Bartlett and so bushels Of Lawrence
pears in the refrigerator. His brother, Solomon
Shearer, who Is the owner Of the adjoining farm,
also stored 100 bushels of apples in the reErgera-
tor. of which still there and as solid as
when they we're taken from the trees. The va
rleties stored were mostly BAldWins, Gresuings
and Pound apples, which keep excellently in the
ice house. The bulk of the fruit was sold late
and good prices were received. Mr.. G. Shsarer
sent the most of his apples to Sehuylkll county,
aud Mr.. Solomon Shearer sold his in heading.
The pears found market in this city, Pottsvlle,
Philadelphia and New York Beside storing this
fruit, great many apples were ground up, max
ing 100 barrels of cider.
There are six hog stables upon the premises,
large enough 10 raise l50 hogs and give the m
plenty of room. There arc also a number OF small
Ter stables for breeding purposes. The Magi and
Chester County Whites are the breeds which Mr.
Shearer has heretofore prin,ipally raised, but lie
intends to give the Berkshire trial, and has IN
one Of the stables two pigs of the pure breed fol
which hs paid S9j at Long Island. There are
at present about IS hogs in the stables, which n
feeds with bran. He fattens with corn. L9s
winter he sold 100 hogs weighing from lou to 09O
lbs. One stable full Of 20 hogs weighed from 60'
to $50 lbs another of 25 averaged 325 lbs anoth
or OF 25 averaged 275 lbs and still another OF q
averaged 225 lbs The stables are very cenVeni
emily arranged, and each has large yard attached
the whole covering about II acres OF grouna
The pigs or hogs are never allowed to run in the
Nelds, but are kept within the enclosures at IN
stables. The stables are bsdded with dry eartn
which is either taken from one OF the helds o
from the ice dam. After the soil becomes meis
it Is removed and spread upon the fields as man
uEe. Previous to turning his attention 10 no
raising Mr.. Shearer was obliged to buy manure
keep his land In proper condition
Five horses ara used upon the farm ana IN
numbers OF mich cows is seven. semiciTcls 9
trees arc growing in the barn yard, and the eat.i
by shifting their places Of standing, can always
In the shade Of the trees.
There are residing upon the farm two tenanp
and these, together with Mr.. SheaTsr and two q
his sons do tho usual work OF the farm. Whe
harvesting the crops large number OF hands al
Temporarily employed
The potatoes are principally raised by M Shesl
nd ~ uaualiw nlanta two n0lda-OVeF IOrt
acres His crop last year yielded Z 600 bushels {
the "Pserlsss" variety. The mode OF eutlvatio
is As follows: The ground is ploWed IN the tal
and manure is spread upon the top during th
winter The land is simply turrOWsdin the sprint
aud the potatoes planted as early as possible. II
furrows are IS inches apart, and the potatoes a
covered with the use OF q "corn seraper JUST
the tops appear above ground the land is harrow
ed, and subsequently (afteF the tops are furth'
groWnl it ia shovel narrowed and ploWed
No wheat is Gown, but usually to fields OF %
Last year 500 bushels Of rye were harvested. Tw
6slds are also devoted TO the raising OF grass Z
hay, the hay averaging from 2 to tons TO Il
acre. A popularity OF the farm is that aloag
the fences are growing goCseberry buahess OF q
Houton Seeding The gooaabernes shnd Eeef
shipped a many AZ 9S bsFres in one season.
The fruit trees are IN very healthy eondteio
and during favorable Seasons yield very aDnn
antly. One Of the orchards contains WV apt
trees, and tbs ether 600 pear trees. The trees Va
planted 10 yeaFs aRo, are very uniform in size, q
the orchards present q very nns appeaKanes. y
fruit previous 10 beng placed in the large retrle
Otor. u packed IN tight boxes, each containing .
bushels, and piled upou each other.
TWo-and-a-halk aeres Of the land are devoted
The -sFFWihg Of basket willow. In charge OF
~ "a SbeaTQE.s sou Of the owner OF the farm
Tho willows q fTOm one 10 two-and-a-helftc tc
to 1hs acre, according 10 the soil and the seas
Peeled willow is worth from TO lQ cents pou
ia Phiiadalphla, TO which paase u q th,pped,
hspting that which l. Manufactured into baak
upon the farm.
Christopher ShearsF deVotes hls whole time q
the closest attention to his farm, and tt is alWl
kept IN The very best condition 10 every respect