The daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1892-1897, 1896-09-08

Cameron county Is the extreme
southern county of Texas. 1t is
from Mexico by the Rio
Grande on the south and has about
100 miles of gulf coast as its east
ern boundary. 1t was organized in
1913, and contains 1868 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 a
rich loan, and produces an exceed
ingly heavy yield of both cotton
and corn the chief farm products.
Two, and sometimes three crops of
corn, averaging from fifty to seven-
ty bushels per acre, are raised year
ly, while cotton will easily yield
from one to two bales per acres.
Grasses grow all the year, and stock
find pasturae without being fed or
sheltered during the winter. But
the soil and climate of the Lower
Rio Grande Valley are by nature
best adapted for the production of
vegetables and fruits. Vegetables
af all kinds grow all the year
Ground, and northern people are as
tonished to fad tomatoes, lettuce,
spinach, English peas, etc, served
fresh from the gardens i'll midwln-
ter. This is undoubtedly the par.
adise of track 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, aud will obtain the
highest prices, as there will be nc
competition. This is due to our
exceedingly mild climate. Free
queutly the entire winter passes
without a single frost, and there is
rarely ever any cold weather before
Christmas. Fruit culture has not
been attempted in this county on d
large scale. but there is one large
banana plantation on which this
delicious fruit yields most abund-
antly and in the greatest perfection
Grapes are also raised extensively
growing in almost every yard. They
ripen from two to four weeks ear
lier than in any other section
Many planters here make all oi
their own table wines. Orange,
and lemons also grow in profusion
and this section could easily b
made to rival Florida in the pro
duction OF oranges. Sugar cane il
glso one of the most important pro
pucts Of this valley. The Ri
Grande plantation. of Mr.. Geo. Bru
Law and the Rabb Starck plantation
produce graat quantities of cane
which is all manufactured on tn
Rio Grande plantation This can,
makes sugar which is produced b,
experts to be even superior to tn
best Louisiana product. Havana
tobacco has also proven a success
here. Col. ] g. Tucker havin!
made some most successful expert
mehis with it; his samples wer
classed by New York buyers a
equal to the best Havana.
The county is watered by the Ri
Grande with its ample flow aloni
the southern boundary, and mum
erous small streams ca led arroyo,
and "resacas."
The population of Cameron coun
ty according to the census of 189
is 13,424. Brownsville, the count
seat, has a population of abou
1000 Point isabel, the seaport {
the county. has about 400 inhab
tants and Santa Maria, a GROWN
little river settlement, has ahout25t
Improved lands sell for from S
to $25 per acre, unimproved IL
from 50 to SO per acre The ave.
age taxable value of land is s
There are 50 $40 acres of scho
land in the county. The count
has total school population {
400, AID gives employment to s
teachers The average length
the school term is live months. Fl
total tuition revenue received fro
the State is $l3 600 There are
> number of public schools in 81
county, affordiug ample education
advantages.
: Homeseekers are gradually b
| ginning to find their way to IT,
land where farmers can work in ii
open air 365 DAYS in the year, b