The daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1892-1897, 1894-04-10
Valuable Information
casrERoN COUNTY;

NSuHty AZ tGo O1tAStH~
southern county of Texas. It Is
separated from Mexico by the Rio
Grande on. The south aud has about
100 miles of gulf coast as its eastern
boundary. 1t was organized in 1913,
and contains S30S square miles.
Farming end stock raising are the
principal industries of the people.
the location, climate and soil being
admirably adapted for both. The
greater portion of the soil is rich
laom, and produces an exceedingly
heavy yield of both cotton aud corn,
the chief farm products. Two, and
sometimes three crops of corn, aver.
aging from fifty to seventy bushels
per acre, are. raised yearly, while
cotton will easily yield from one to
two bales per acre: Grasses grow
all the year, and stock find pastur
age without being fed or sheltere d
during the winter. But the soil and
climate Of the Lower Rio Grande
Valley are by nature best adapted
for the production of vegetables and
fruits. Vegetables of all kinds grow
all the year around, aud northern
people are astonished to find toma-
toes, lettuce. spinach, English pease,
etc., served fresh from the gardens
in midwinter. This is undoubtedly
the paradise of truck gardeners. and
so soon as reil transportation is oh
tanned Cameron county vegetables
by the car load will be shipped to
northern markets during winter AND
early spring, and will obtain the
highest prices. as there will be no
competition. This is due to cur ez
ceeiingly mild climate. Frequently
the entire winter passes without q
single frost, and there is rsrely ever
any cold weather before Christmas.
Fruit culture has not been attempted
in this county on q large scale, but
there is one large banaaa plantation
on which ibis delicious fruit yields
most abundantlg and in the greatest
perfection. Gra~es are also raised
extensively, growing in almost every
yard. They ripen from two to four
weeks earlier than in any other sec
tioD, Many planters hero make
all Of ibeir own table wines. Oranges
and lemons also grow in profusi5D.
and this section could easily be made
to rival FioIila in the production OF
oranges. Sugar cane is also one Of
the most important products Of tbs
valley. Tue Rio Grande plautstion
of Ar. Geo Bralsy and the Rsbb-
S:ar"k plantation produce great guam
titles Of cane. which is ali manufsc-
iured on the Rio Grande plantation.
his caue makes sugar which is pro-
uoanced by experts to be even snpe-
rior to the best Louisiana product
Havana tobacco hss also proven
success Lere, Col. J. G. Tucker hay
lug made some most successful ex-
perimants with it; his samples were
classed by New Yo'k buyers as equal
to the best Havana.
The county is watered by the Rio
Grands with lis ample flow along
tue southern boundary. and rumer-
Gus small streams called "srroyos"
md "resscas.
The population of Cameron county,
according to the census Of 1890, is
1921. Brownsville. the county
seat, has a population OF abont 1000
Point Isabel, the seaport of the
county. has about 400 inhabitants.
nd Santa Maria, a growing little
yer settlement, has about $50.
Improved lands sell TOR from SIS to
S25 per acre, unimproved Tor from 81
20 Sc per acre. The average taxi
Die value of land is 81. There are
1920 acres Of school land in th+
county. The county has q total school
population of 327l. and gives EN-
ployment to = teachers The aver
age length of the school term is FIVE