The daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1892-1897, 1894-05-21
Valuable Information.
CAMERON COUNTY:

Grande on the south and has about
100 miles of gulf coast as its eastern
boundary. 1t was organized in 1S48,
and contains 1908 square miles.
Farming and stock raising are the
principal industries Of the people.
the location, climate and soil being
admirably adapted for both. The
: greater iorlion of the soil is rich
laom, and produces an exceedingl,
heavy yield of both cotton and corn.
the chief farm products. Two, and
sometimes three crops of corn, aver.
aging from fifty to seventy bushels
per asre, 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 sheltered
during the winter. But the soil and
climate of the Lower Rio Grande
Valley are by natare best adapted
for the production of vegetables anc
fruits. Vegetables of al kinds grow
all the year around. and 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 rsil transportation is oh
tanned Cameron county vegetables
by the car load will be shipped to
northern mqrkets during winter aad
early spring, ana will obtain the
highest prices. as there will he no
competition. This is due to our ex
ceedingly mild climate. Frequently
the entire winter passes without a
single frost, and there is rsrely ever
any cold weather before Christmas.
Fruit Gu lture has not been attempted
in this county on a large scale, bat
there is one large banana plantation
on which this delicious fruit yields
most abundantly and in the greatest
perfection. Grapes 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 here make
all of their own table wines. Oranges
and lemons also grow in profusion,
and this section could easily be made
to rival Flo!ila in the production OF
oranges. Sugar cane is also one Of
the most important products of this
valley. The Rio Grande plantation |
of Mr.. Geo. Br2lsy and the Rabh-
Stark plantation produce great guam
titles of cane, which is oil mannfac-
'1red on the Rio Grande plantation
This cane makes sugar which is pro-
nounced by experts to be even supe
rior to the best Louisiana product
Havana tobacco has also proven
here, Col. J. G Tucker hav-
ing made some most successful ex.
periments with it; his samples were
classed by New Yo,k buyers as equal
to the best Havana.
The county is wstered by the Rio
Grande with its ample flow along
the southern boundary. and numer-
ous small streams called ''arroyos"
aud "rssacas.
The population Of Cameron county,
to the census of 1890. is
1924. Brownsville. the count,
seat, has population Of about 1000.
PGiut Isabel, the seaport of the
county, has about 400 inhabitants.
and Santa Maria. a growing littl,
yer settlement. he's about $50.
Improved lands sell Tor from S. to
;25 per acre, unimproved Tor from 81
o Sc per acre The average taxa
BE value of land is 81. There are
q, 240 acres of school land in the
county. The comfy has a total school
,opulstioD of 1911, and gives EN-
,IoYment to - teachers The aver
ge length of the school term is FIVE
months. The total tuition revenue
eceived firm the State is $4,000.
There ars number of public schools
n the comfy, afording ample. sdn-
atinnal advantages.