The daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1892-1897, 1894-04-09
Valuable information.
CAMERON COUNTY:

cameron County is the extreme
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 IFS eastern
boundary. 1t was organized in l04S.
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 PORTION of the soil is rich
Iaom, 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 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 sheltered
during the winter. But the soil and
climate Of the Lower Rio Grande
Valley ere by nature best adapted
for the production of vegetables and
fruits. Vegetables OF al kinds grow
| all the wear around, and northern
people are astonished to fad toma-
toes, lettuce. spinach, English pease,
etc, served fresh from the gardens
in midwinter. This is lndoubtedlN
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 he no
competition. This is due to cur ex
ceeliugly. mild climate. Frequently
the entire winter passes without a
single frost, and there is rsrely ever
any cold weather before Christmas
Fruit Gu ture has not been attempted
in this county on large scale. bui
there is one large banana plantation
on which this delicious fruit yields
most abundantly aal 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 FloIi Ia in the production o.
oranges. Sugar cane is also ons oi
the most important products of tbs
valley. Tue Rio Grande plantation
of Mr.. Geo. Bralsy and the Rabb-
S.er"k plantation produce great qaau-
titles Of cane, which is all manufsc
.qred on the Rio GrsnGe plantation.
.'his care makes sugar which is pro-
nounced By experts to be even supe
rior to the best Louisiana product
Havana tobacco has also proven g
success here, Col. j. g. Tucker hav-
ing made scme most successful ex-
perimeuts with it; his samples wer'
cIassed by New Yo k BUYERS as eqnai
to the best Havana.
The county is watered by the Ri'
Grande with its ample flow along
the southern boundary. and runner
aus small streams called "arroyos"
md "resacas."
Tie population OF Cameron county.
according to the census of 1890, is
I3,424. Brownsville. the county
seat. he's a population of about 1000
PCiu. Isabel. the seaport of the
county, has aboht 400 inhabitants.
I'd Santa Maria, a growing little
ver settlement, has about $50.
Improved lands sell tor from S. to
! $25 per acre, unimproved Tor from 81
to 81 per acre. The average taxa
bic value Of land is 81. There are
| S2,240 acres Of school lard in the
! roanty. The county has total school