The daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1892-1897, 1894-04-07
valabIi Information
c2aEnoN COUNTY:

sepeI1teG from dS2lcO by tue Esio
Grande on The south aud has ubout
leo miles Of gulf coast as lis eastern
boundary. 1t was organized in lS4S.
aud contains 1908 square miles.
Farming and stock raising are the
principal industries Of the people.
the location. climate aud soil being
admirably adapted for both. The
greater pOrtion OF the soil is rich
laom, and produces an exceedingly
heavy yield of beth 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, and stock find peslur
age without being fed or sheltered
during the winter. But the soil and
climate Of the Lower Rio Grande
Valley are by natGre best adapted
for the production of vegetables and
fruits. Vegetables of al kinds grow
ell the year around, and northern
people are astoDished to 6ud toma-
toes, lettuce. spinach, English pease,
ETC., served fresh from the gardens
in midwiuter. 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 dae to our ex
ceeiiugly 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 heen attempted
in this county on a large scale. bat
there is ore large banana plantation
on which this delicious fruit yields
most abundautly anl in the greatest
perfection. Grapes are also raised
extensively. growing 10 almost every
yard. They ripen from two to four
weeks earlier than any other Sec
tiOu, Many planters here make
al Of their Own table wines. Oranges
and lemons also grow in profusion,
and this section could easily be made
to rival Florila in the production OF
oranges. Sugar cane is also one CT
the most important products Of this
valley. The Rie Grande plantation
of Mr.. Geo Bralsy and the Rabb
Stark plantation produce great guam
titles of caue, which is all manufac.
'qred on the Rio Grande plantation
his cane makes sugar whieh is pro-
uoarced by experts to be even snpe-
rior to the best Louisiana product
Havana tobscco has also proven a
success tere, Col. j. G. Tucker hay
Jog made some most successful ex-
pefinents with it; his samples were
classsd by New Yo.k buyers as eqna'
to the best Havana.
The county is watered by the Rio
Grands with its ample flow along
TIE southern boundary, and rumer-
Gus small streams called "alrpyOs'
md "resacas."
The population OF cameron conoty
acscrling to the census OF 1880, is
1924. Brownsville. the county
seat. has a population Of about 1000
Pcius Isabel. the seaport of the
county, has aboat 400 inhabitants
Id Santa Maria. a growing little
yer settlement. he's about $50.
Iuproved lands sell Tor nom So tc
S25 per acre, uDimproved Tor from s.
| to SIS per acre. The average taxa
bic value Of land is 81. There ara
! g, 24O acres Of school land in The
county. The comfy has total schoo
population Of 3271, and gives en-
ploy to = teachers The aver
age length OF the school term is five