The daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1892-1897, 1896-08-07

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 its east
ern boundary. 1t was organized in
1913, and contains 330S 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
ingIy 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 Val ey 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 III midwIn-
ter This is undoubtedly the par
adise of truck gardeners, and so
soon as rail transportation is on
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. rs there will be no
competition. This is due to our
exceedingly mild climate. Free
quently the entire winter passes
without a single frost, and there is
rarely ever any cod weather before
Christmas. Fruit culture has not
heen attempted in this county on a
large scale, bnt there is one large
bahama 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 10 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 profusion,
and this section cnuld easily be
mad to rival Florida in the pro-
duetion Of oranges. Sugar cane is
elso one of the most important pro-
pucts of this valley. The Rio
Grande plantation of Mr.. Geo. Bru-
lay and the Rabb Starck plantation
produce graat quantities of cane,
which Is all manufactured on toe
Rio Grande plantation This care
makes sugar which IS produced hyI
experts TO be even superior to tae
best Louisiana product. Havana
tobacco has also proven a success
here, Col. J G. Tucker having
made some most successful expert
mems with it; his samples were
elassed by New York buyers as
equal to the best Havana.
The county is waiered by the Rio
Grande with It's ample flow along
the southern boundary, and mum
erous small streams ca led "arroya,"
and "resacas."
The population of Cameron conn-
ty according to the census of 1890
IS 1924 Brownsville, the county
seat, has a population of about
1000 Point Isabel, the seaport Of
the county, has about 400 inhabi-
tants and Santa Maria, "A growing
little river settlement, has about250. !
Improved lands sell for from So
10 90 per acre, unlmprnved Tor
from - TO S. per acre. The aver
age taxable vaiue of land is 81. /
There are 1920 acres of school
land in the comfy. The county
has total school population Of
400, ard gives employment to sol
teachers The average length OF
the school term is i've moatls. The
total tuition revenue received from
the State is $l3 GOO. There are a
number OF pHhlic schools in the
county, aifolding ample educalional
advantages.
HomeseeHers are gradually be-
ginning 10 find their way to this
land where farmers can work in the