The daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1892-1897, 1894-05-19
Valuable information,
CAMERON COUNTY:

OaboiOu OOuuty ID tue eAtrotn'
southern county of Texas. 1t i
separated from Mexico by the Rit
Grande on the south aud has abou
100 miles of gulf coast as lis eastern
boundary. 1t was organized in lS48
and contains 330S 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 a rich
laom, and produces an 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 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 sheltere d
during the winter. But the soil and
climate Of the Lower Rio Grande
Valley are by Mature best adapted
for the production of vegetables and
fruits. Vegetables of al kinds grow
all the year around, and northern
people are asionished 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 ob.
tanned Cameron county vegetables
by the car load will be shipped to
northern N rkets during wiuter and
early spring, and will obtain the
highest prices. as there will lie no
competition. This is due to cur ex
ceediugIy 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 a large scale, but
there is one large banana plantation
on which this delicious fruit yields
most abnndautly and in the greatest
perfection Grapes are also raised
extensively. growing in almost every
yard. They riren from two to four
weeks earlier than 10 any other sec
lion. Many planters here make
all of their own table wines. Oranges
and lemons also grow in profusi0n,
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. Tee Rio Grande plantation
of Mr.. Geo. Br2!ay and the Rabbi
Stark plantation produce great guam
titlrs of cane, which is all mannfac-
.nred on the Rio Grande plantation
I'his cane makes sugar which is pro-
nounced by experts to be even supe
rior to The best Louisiana product
Havana tobecco has also proven a
success here, Col. J. G Tucker hav-
ing made some moat successful ex-
perinents with it; his samples were
classed by New Yoi k buJersas eqnal
to the best Havana.
The county is watered by the Rio |
Grande with its ample flow along
the southern boundary. and uumer-
BUS small streams called "arroyos"
and ''resacas."
The population of Cameron county.
according to the census of 1890, is
1924. Brownsville. the count,
seat, has population of about 1000.
Pcius Isabel. the seaport of the
county, has abont 400 inhabitants.
and Santa Maria. a growing little
yer settlement. has about $50.
Improved lands sell TOR rom IS to
S25 per acre, unimpfoved Tor from $2
to Sc per acre The average taxa
,le value Of land Is 81. There are
p, 240 acres IF school laud i'll Oh
county. The comfy has a total schonl
p pnlstioD Of 1911. md give. en-
plol ment to - teachers The aver
age length of the school term is FIVE
The total tuition revenue