The daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1892-1897, 1894-05-04
lsalla IsIsafia
cA2E&oS COUNTY:

separated fscm Mexico ey the Rio
Grande en- the south sad has about
LOO miles Of gulf coast as its eastern
boundary. 1t was organized in 1888,
md contains s30s square miles.
Farming and stock raising are the
principal industries of the people.
he location, climate and soil being
admirably adapted for both. The
grester pcrtion of che soil is rich
laom, and produces an exceedingly
heavy yield of both cotton and corn,
he chief farm products. Two, and
'ometimes three crops of corn, aver.
aging from 6fty to seventy bushels
Der ssre, are raised yearly, while
cotton will easily yield FROM one to
.wo bales per acre; Grasses grow
Ill the year, and stock find pastur.
,ge without being fed or sheltered
iuripg the winter. But the soil and
climate of the Lower Rio Grande
Valley are by nature best adapted
or the production of vegetables and
fruits. Vegetables of all kinds grow
al the year around, and northern
people are astonished to find toms-
roes, lettuce. spinach. English pease,
atc., served fresh from the gardens
n midwinter. This is undoubtedly
he paradise of truck gardeners. and
20 soon as rail transportation is OBJ
aimed Cameron county vegetables
~ the car load will be shipped to
1orthern markets during winter and
4arly spring, and will obtain the
highest prices. as there will he no
competition. This is due to our ex
,eediugly mild climate. Frequently
he entire winter passes without
single frost, and there is rstely 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 sbuudautfy and in the greatest
perfection 6 ares 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. Toe 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.
Ithis cane makes sugar which is pro-
nounced by experts to be even supe-
rior to the best Louisiana product
Havana tobacco has also proven a
success here, Col. j. G Tucker hav-
ing 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
Grsnds with its ample flow along
the southern boundary. and rumer-
Gus small streams called "arroyos"
md etresacas."
The population of Cameron county,
according to the census of 1890, is
IS, 424. Brownsville. the county
seat, has population of about 1000.
Point Isabel. the seaport of the
county. has about 400 inhabitants.
md Santa Maria. a growing little
yer settlement. has about $50.
Improved lands sell tor from So to
s25 per acre, unimproyed Tor from 81
TO Sc per acre The average taxa
Bile value of land is 81. There are
81, 240 acres Of school land in the
The comfy has total school
population Of 327l. and gives EN-
ploynept to - teachers The nver-
lge length of the school term is five
The total tuition revenue
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