Daily Republican., 1882-10-09
A 100 Acre farm Un which 0I2,OOS

Had Been Clead cd 1m q L ear
From an exchange paper.
J The man who in any department o
life gives his fellows examples OF pro-
gress, is a public beuefactor. There IL
no Industry that has moved along IL
the old ruts 80 peroistently as farming
Il is true, machinery has been applied
to save labor, fertilizers have been In
tiOduCed, and occasionally step for
ward has been made, but as q general
! thing those engaged in 1t accept the ex
listing ways, and make little effort tc
strike out in new and profitable paths
Business capacity and energy can be at
proitably applied in farming as in any
other business.
For some years past we have been
hearing of the noted and successful
farming Of DR.. Christopher Shearer, Of
TuckeTtol, FIVE miles from Reading
We have read of his clearing 81 100 a
year from farm OF 100 acres. and We
were desiriO is TO make the aCquaint-
anCe of man who could achieve 90
Ill uCh, and To see the farm that yielded
so bountifuily to now and successful
methods Of ago-ahead system Of &gri-
cultural Industry; consequently, last
Saturday, with some pleasant trends,
we paid visit to the man and the
place.
AS we approached the farm there
were evidences that the farming was
not of the ordinary kind. for orchards,
vineyards, tracts Of tobacco, 60, pre-
sent.d the mselves and as we moved
on up to the residence, the buildings
looked moro like small manufacturing
village than an ordinary place, for there
We're extensive cIder mills, tobacco
houses, large refrigerator, holding 3, ,0O0
bushels, vinegar house, extensive vats,
and variety of small buildings used
for different purposes. The cider man
ufaCtory was q curiosity. it had every
facility for quick and perfect work. The
apples were crushed by steam power,
and then crushed by tremend OussCrew
power worked by pair Of mules. One
hundred bushels of apples are ground
in ton minutes. ThirSy acres OF the
farm arc in tobacco.
From this same acreage last year, Mr..
Sharer sold II tons of tobacco at ten
cents per pound. This year he sold
5000 quarts Of strawberries from an
acre and a quarter Of land, netting him
$3.50. In his immense refrigerator he
stores away his fine apples, pears, &c,
until the ordinary supply to the market
is consumed, and then he brings his
out and disposes of them at high prices.
Last year he had a Thousand bushels of
Bartleifpears, which he sold in New
York from his refrigerator, at from six
to thirteen dollars per barrel. The
same year he made 10000 gallons of
cider and 5000 gallons Of wine. Much
of his cider 10 turned into vinegar, and
also large quantity of vinegar is made
from the ponace, after the cider is first
pressed out, immense watts being
constructed for that purpose. His
vinegar house is large building with
tank capacity for 1900 barrels.
Tue toOacCo house is also large
structure, 70x80 feet, four tiers high.
The barn is l5Ox6O feet. He has 5000
peach trees and 1000 apple trees in
bearing, beside large number of plum
trees. His bearing vinegar yards em-
brace six acres, containing 5000 vines,
and last spring he added four acres
with 3, 240 vines. Ho will make 5000
gallons Of wine this year. To do this
work, Mr.. Sharer employs from eight
to forty hands, according TO the season,
and he can get all the help he needs
from the neighborhood. A good deal
Of the work, such as picking stra Wber-
ries, attending to the tobacco, &C., is
done by girls.
Mr.. Sharer, as may be inferred from
what he is doing, Is a man OF superior
IN ntelligen Ce and force of character. His
heart is in his work, and he evidently
finds great pleasure in what be Is doing.
There Is ambition and talent in the
Iamily too. One of his sons, who work
ed on the farm. took to painting, and
after turning out some remarkable pic
lures, visited Europe, and studied there
for year or two, and Is now an artist
Of ecognized ability.
A younger son at home Is displaying
q little talent, and in hours of recrea-
lion finds enjoyment i'll using theibrush
In a way that shows artistic genius.
Mr.. s. has a brother with him, who
gives attention to branches of the busl-
ness, and whose courtesy and kind at
jention added much to the pleasure of
Jur visit.
Mr.. Sharer's achievements on his
Tarm are of great Importance to all en-
,aged in agricultural pursuits, as show
ng the possibilities of the farm and en-
to a wider field or enterprise
n that direction. In farming, as In
the professions, trades or elsewhere,
lrains will tell in the future, and the
armer who wishes to do justice to his
Ealing must not be content to follow
luietly in the old path. There Is
wealth in the pursuit, and 1t should be
he am bition of every farmer to get 1t
'ut through an intelligent and credita-
lie progressiveness.