The daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1892-1897, 1894-05-23
Valuable Information.
'lo2aERox COUNTY:

separated from Mexico by the Rio
Gran9e en- the south aad has about
leo miles of gnH coast as lis eastern
boundary. 1t was organized in lSzS,
and contains S3OS 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 orion of the soil is 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 fly 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 End psstur-
age without being fed or sheltered
during the winter. But the soil and
climate Of the L1wer Rio Granie
Valley are Icy natare best adapted
for the production of vegetables and
fruits. Vegetables of s.l kinds grow
all the wear around, and northern
people are astonished to End toma-
toes, lettuce. spinach, English pease,
etc, served fresh from the gardens
in midwinter. This is undoubtedly
the paradise Of track gardeners. and
so soon as rail transportation is 10
tanned Cameron county vegetables
by the car load will be shipped to
northern IN rkets during winter aad
early spriug, and will obtain the
highest prices, as there will lie DO
competition. This is dae to cur ex
ceedilgly mild climate. Frequently
the entire winter passes without
siugle frost, and there is rsrely ever
any cold weather before Christmas. d,
Fruit culture has not been attempted
in this county On large scale, bat
there is one large banana plantation
on which this delicious frat yields
most abuEdantly and in tie greatest
perfection G apes are also raised !
extensively, growing in almost every
yard They riren from two 20 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 PROPULSION.
and this section could easily be made !
to rival Florida in the production of
oranges. Sugar cane is also one Of
the most Important produc of tbs
valley. Toe Bic Grande plantation
of Mr.. Geo. BraIay and the Rabh-
S ark plantation produce great guam
titres of cane, which is all msnufac-
'nred on the Rio Grande plantation.
Ibis cane makes sugar which is pro-
nonDced by experts to be even snpe.1
rior to the best Louisiana product
Havana tobacco has also proven a
success here, Col. J. G Tucker hnv-
ing made some most successful ex.
perinents with it; his samples were
classed by New Yo' K buyers as equal
to the best Havana.
The county is watered by the Rio
Granda with its ample flow along
The southern boundary. and runner
,us 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.
Point Isabel, the seaport of the
county. has about 400 Inhabitants.
sud Santa Maria. a growing little
yer settlement. has about $50.
Improved lands sell tor from SIS to
s25 per acre, unimproved Tor from 81
% Sc per acre The average taxa
lie value of lanA is 81. There are
3 go acres of school lard in th.
The comfy has a total school
population Of 327l. and gives EN-
jloN ment to = teachers The aver
lae length of the school term is FIVE
IT, tDiti.,n