The daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1892-1897, 1896-09-16

SOuIueIu COuiOJ VI AOAoo' ~ 10
separated 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 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 loan, and produces an exceed
ingly heavy yield of both cotton
and corn the chief farm p'oducts.
Two, and sometimes three crops of
corn, averaging from fifty to seven~
ty bushels per acre, are raised year
lly, 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 Gfande 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 find tomatoes, lettuce,
spinach, English peas, ETC., served
fresh from the gardens in 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, and will obtain the
highest prices, as there will be no
competition. This is due to our
exceedingly mild climate. Free
, quently the entire winter passes
without single frost, and there is
rarely 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 ahund-
antly andin the greatest perfection.
Grapes are also raised extensively,
growing in almost every yard. They
ri2en from two to four weeks ear
lier than in any other section
Many planters here make all OF
their own table wines. Oranges
and lemons also grow in profusiou
and this section could easily be
made to rival Florida in the pro-
dnction of oranges Sugar cane Is
elso Que of the most important pro
pucts of this valley. The Rio
Grande plantation of Mr.. Geo. Bru'
Law and the Rabb Starck plantation
produce graat quantities OF cane
which is all manufactured on thu
Rio Grande plantation This cane
makes sugar which is produced By
experts to be even superior to til,
best Louisiana product. Havana
tobacco has also proven a success
here, Col. J. G. Thicker havin!
made some most successful expert
mehts with it; his SAMPLES wer
classed by New York buyers a
equal to the hest 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 cour
ty according to the census of 1S9
), is 1924. Brownsville, the count
seat. has a population of abol
1000 Point Isabel, the seaport {
the county. has about 400 inhab
G. tants and Santa Maria, a CROWN
little river settlement, has about25
lis Improved lands sell for from
to S25 per acre, unimproved f.
- from 50 to Sc per acre The ave
age taxable value of land is S
There are 1920 acres of scho
he land in the county. The coun'
has total school population
AGO, and gives employment to
teachers The average length
the school term is five moaths. II
total tuition revenue received fro
I the State is Sl3 600 There are
number of public schools in t.
" county, affording ample education
~ advantages.
Homeseekers are gradually b
ginning to find their way to tt
q land where farmers can work III t
open air 365 days in the year. b
it is comparatively undeveloped
l. yet. With the building of t
railroad to Cornvs Christi howav,