The daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1892-1897, 1894-05-12
VIaas ldaS
sAnEaoS COUNTY:

SooN4@~A1 C'GoiF va 4t@to. At i,
separated fsor siexieo By the Rio
Grande CD ihe south asd has about
100 miles Of gulf coast as its eastern
boundary. 1t was organised in 1913
and contains s3eS square miles.
Farming aud stock raising are the
principal industries Of the people.
the location, climate end soil being
admirably adapted for both, The
greater ortion of the soil is rich
laon, and predaces en- exceedingly
heavy yield of both cotton and coin,
the chief farm products. Two, and
sometimes three crops of corn, aver.
aging from ff'y to seventy bushels
per acre, are raised yearly, while
cotton will easily yield from enc to
two bales per acre; Grasses grow
all the year, and stock find pastur-
age without being fed or sheltered
during the winter. But the soil and
climate Of the Lower Rio Grande
Valley ere by nature best adapted
for the production of vegetables and
fruits. Vegetables of al kinds grow
all the year around, and northern
people are astonished to End toma-
toes, lettuce. spinach, English pease,
etc., served fresh from the gardens
IN midwinter, This lie undoubtedly
the paradise of truck gardeners. and
so soon as rail transportation is ob-
tanned Cameron county vegetables
by the car load will be shipped &c
northern N .rkets during winter and
early spring, aud will obtain the
highest prices. as there will lie no
competition. This is due to cur ex
ceediugly mild climate. frequently
the entire winter passes without
single frost, and there is rsrely ever
any cold weather before Christmas.
Fruit Gu ture he's not been attempted
in this county on large scale, but
there is one large banana plantation
on which this delicious fruit yields
most sbundantly and in the greatest
perfection. Grapes are also raised
growing in almost every
yard. They ripen from two to four
weeks earlier than in any other sec
tioD, Many planters here make
all of their own table wines. Oranges
and lemons also grow in profusion,
and this section could easily be made
to rival Florida in the production of
oranges. Sugar cane is also one of
the most important products of this
valley. Toe Rio Grande plantation
of Mr.. Geo. Bralay and the Rabbi
Stark plantation produce great guam
titles of cane, which is all manufac-
,.ured on the Rio Grande plantation
Ibis cane makes sugar which is pro-
nonuced by experts to be even supe-
rior to the best Louisiana product
Havana tobacco has also proven a
success here, Col. J. G Tucker hav-
ing made some most successful ex-
perinents with it; his samples were
elassed by New York buyers as equal
10 the best Havana.
The county is watered by the Rio
Grende with its ample flow along
the southern boundary. and numer-
BUS small streams called "arroyos"
md "resacas."
The population of Cameron county.
according to the census Of 1890, is
1924. Brownsville. the county
seat, has population Of about 1000.
Poiut Isabel, the seaport of the
county. has abons 400 inhabitants. |
md Santa Maria, growing little
veT settlement. has about $50.
Improved lands sell for from SIS to-
s25 per acre, unimproved Tor from 81 |
to Sc per acre The average taxa
Bile value of land is 81. There are
81, 240 acres IF school lard in tn
The county has total school
population Of 1921. and gives EN-
ployment to - teachers The aver
,ge length of the school term is five
The total tuition revenue
firm the State is $4,000. |
There are a number of unblic schools