The daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1892-1897, 1896-08-29

separated o x ny Tue ieio
Grande on the south and has about
100 miles of gulf coast as It's east
ern boundary. 1t was organized in
IS48, and contains 1903 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 e
ty bushels per acre, are raised year
", 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 midwIn-
ter. This is undoubtedly the par
adise Of truck gardeners, and so
soon as rail transportation Is oh
tanned Cameron county vegetables
by the a load will be shipped to
northern markets during winter aud
early spring, and will obtain the
highest prices. as there will be no
competition. This is due to our
exceedingly mild climate. Fre-
quently the entire winter passes
without a single frost, and there is
rarely ever any cold weather before
Christmas. Fruit culture has not
heen attempted in this county on a
large scale, but there is one large
banana plantation on which this
delicious fruit yields most ahund-
antly and in 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
vlso one of the most important pro.
pucts of this valley. The Rio
Grande plantation of Mr.. Geo. Bru.
Law and the rabbi Starck plantation
produce graat quantities of cane
which is all manufactured on thu
Rio Grande plantation This can'
makes sugar which is produced BY
experts to be even superior TO tn,
best Louisiana product. Havari
tobacco has also proven a success
here, Col. J. G. Tucker havin!
made some most successful expert
mehts with it; his samples wer,
elassed 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
prouS small streams Ca. led arroyo,
and "resacas."
The population of Cameron conn
ty according to the census Of 189
is 13,424. Brownsville, the count
seat, has a population of abou
1000 Point Isabel, the seaport Q
the county. has about 400 inhab.
4, tants and Santa Maria, "A GROWN
little river settlement, has ahout25I
Improved lands sell for from S
to $50 per acre, unimproved il
from 81 to So per acre The ave-
age taxable value or land Is .
There are 1920 acres of scho
land in the county. The count
has IA total school population
400, aad gives employment to s
teachers The average length
the school term is five moaths. II
is total tuition revenue received fro
the State is $13 900. There are
lumber of public schools in t.
county, affording ample education
e. advantages.
Homeseekers are gradually i
ginning to find their way IL Il
he land where farmers can work in t
open air 800 days in the year. h
it is comparatively undeveloped
yet. With the building Of t