The daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1892-1897, 1894-05-28
Valuable information.
CAMERON COUNTY:

southern county of Texas. 1t is
separated from Mexico by the Rio
Grande on the south and has about
100 miles of gulf coast as its eastern
boundary. 1t was organized in lS4S,
and contains S30S square miles.
Farming aud stock raising are the
principal industries of the people,
the location, climate and soil being
admirably adapted for both. The
greater Ortion of the soil is rich
laom, and produces al exceedingly
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 acre, are raised yearly, while
cotton will easily yield from one to
two bales per acre. Grasses grow
all the year, aud stock find pasiur-
age without being fed or sheltered
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, 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 rail transportation is OBJ
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 lie 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 culture has not been attempted
in this county on large scale. but
there is one large banana plantation
on which this delicious fruit Yields
most abundautfy 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
ton, 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. Tae Rio, Grande plantation
of Mr.. Geo. Br0lay 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-
nounced by experts to be even supe-
rior to the best Louisiana product
Havana tobs Geo has also proven q
success here, Col. j. G Tucker hav-
Jog made some most successful ex.
periments with it; his samples were
classed by New York buyers as equal
to the best Havana.
The county is watered by the Rio
Graude with its ample flow along
5he southern boundary. and runner
,us small streams called "arroyos"
snd ''resacas."
The population of Cameron county.
according to the census of 1890, is
1924 Brownsville. the county
ieat, has a population Of about 1000.
ocint Isabel. the seaport of the
county. has abOat 400 inhabitants,
md Santa Maria. growing little
yer settlement. has about $50.
Improved lands sell for rom SIS to
;25 per acre, unimproved Tor from 81
o sc per acre. The average taxd-
lie value of land is 81. There are
2, 2lO acres of school land in the
ounty. The county has total school
population of 1911. and gives en-
,loyment to = teachers The aver
ge length of the school term is FIVE
months. The total tuition revenue
eceived from the State is $4,000.