San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1893-06-23
The Daily Eight.
FRIDAY, JUNE %, 1898.
Horticultural Fair at Rockport.
ROCKPORT, June Dist, '93

When the writer of this roamed
over the coast country of south
west Texas, some twelve or more
years past, in the capacity of a
commercial missionary, (vulgo
drummer), he would often get into
controversies with the people, re-
garding the future of that part of
Gods footstool, which was at that
time barely considered fit for Scat
tie only" Even this allowance was
made with reluctance.
When we told them some of the
probabilities and possibilities for
which the country possessed all
the qualifications in a superlative
degree, we were told that we We're
possessed Of idiosyncrasies and
and false enthusiasm altogether in
contradistinction to the laws of
nature. a few of the better inform
ed people had started the cultiva-
ton of fruits with a special pre-
ference to grapes, among whom
was Mr.. G. Borden, of Sharpsburg
on the Nueces river and
Nh. b, Hatch, at Ingleside,
fronting the bay of Corpus
Christi. The latter had some ten
years ago more than forty acres in
grapes from which he produced
the finest of home made wine
equal to any from California or
any foreign importation. These,
with some few cultivators on a
smaller scale, became the pioneers
of what is now assuming shape,
though only in its infancy as yet,
and that is, that this former "bare-
ly fit for stock" country, can be
turned into a paradise of orchards,
vineyards and truck gardens UNI
surpassed on the American CONT
nent.
1t was indeed a qualification
when today only on casual visit
to Rockport we found the annual
exhibit of the Texas State Horti-
cultural society preparing their
exhibit at the grand pavilion.
While visiting the building we
found large number of the fair
sex busy decorating and placing in
position the constantly arriving
samples and specimens for exhibit,
and by noon today long counters
literally grOaned under the weight
of luscious fruits, peaches, pears
apples, plums and figs, and last,
but not least an extraordinary large
assortment of many species of
grapes grown in the immediate
neighbOrhood of Rockport. A
low estimate as to the
number of specimens of the
fruits and grapes numbered in the
thousands, and in addition to this
a large and fine looking exhibit OF
vegetables of this years growth,
regular monsters in size, and fine
in quality.
The exhibit in floral culture was
such that the most fastidious could
not have found any fault, a
bOquet of double Jessamins in
buds and full bloom with sprays
OF fragrant myrtle exhibited by
Mrs. George French of Corpus
Christi, was of special interest.
To crown the whole and as a fit
ting finish, was fine exhibit of
the Ladies, of fine needle work and
paintings all products of woman's
nimble fingers and designs.
The visitors were entertained
by music and speach making by
the members of the local associa-
ton, and also by visiting officials
anI ,,,nr, hnrc
State Fair association" Ex-Presi-
dent J. NJ. Howell and Secretary
c. a. COur. The pavilion was
crowded to it's utmost capacity and
standing room was at a premi-
UNI. The meeting proved itself to
be a success.
We had the pleasure of meeting
Col. &. H. Full ton; who though an
Octogenarian and four years over,
is still hale and hearty. He says !:
81 worked hard against the Hogg
rule, but | caught severe cold for
my trouble and am suffering from
it, (the cold and Hogg), still" The
old gentlemen tells of some inter-
esting incidents of the time when
he first settled on the peninsula of
land now known as Fulton in 1887.
The Bracht Brothers shipped
some twelve tons of "South Sea
Island" cotton by sailing vessel to
New Orleans yesterday, they ex-
pect continuous increase in this
new staple from this part of Texas
in the years to come.
The yacht Oriole came in from
the pass yesterday and, brought
in seven large June fish the larg