The daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1892-1897, 1896-07-28

southern County VI IeAdos IL 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 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 Il
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
Iy, 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 in midwln-
| ter. This is undoubtedly the par
adise Of track gardeners, and so
/ soon as rail transportation Is oh
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 a single frost, and there is
rarely ever any cod weather before
! Christmas. Fruit culture has not
been attempted in this county on a
large scale. bnt 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
ri2en from two to four weeks ear
Iier than in any other section.
| Many planters here make all OF
their own table wines. Oranges
and lemons also grow in profusiou.
land this section could easily be
made to rival Florida in the pro-
duction of oranges. Sugar cane is
BIso one 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 the
Rio Grande plantation. This cane
makes sugar which is produced by
experts to be even superior to the
best Louisiana product. Havana
tobacco has also proven a success:
here, Col. J G.. Tucker having
made some most successful expert.
ments with it; his samples wert
iclassed by New York buyers a.
Iequal to the best Havana.
The county is watered by the Ric
Grande with its ample flow along
the southern boundary. and mum
erous small streams Ca led arroyo,
and 'resacas."
The population Of Cameron coun
ty according to the census of 1885,
lis 1924. Brownsville, the county
seat, has a population of abou
! 1000 Point Isabel, the seaport O
the county. has about 400 inhabi
tants and Santa Maria, Il growing
little river settlement, has ahout250
Improved lands sell for from S;
to $50 per acre, unimproved TO
frnm 80 to Sc per acre. The aver,
age taxable value of land is 81
There are 82,240 acres of schoo
land in the county. The count,
has y total school population q
400, and gives employment to 81
teachers The average length o
the school term is five moaths. Th'
total tuition revenue received from
the State is $l3 900. There are
number Of public schools in th
county, affording ample educationa
advantages.
Homeseekefs are gradually he
ginning to find their way to TIN
land where farmers can work in til
open air 365 DAYS in TIE year. In
It is comparatively undeveloped q
tt w A. fba buildinr of III