The daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1892-1897, 1896-10-12

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 it's 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 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
Iy, while cotton will easily yield
from one to two bales per acres.
Grasses grow all the year, and stock
iud 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 midw1r-
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 mjld climate. Free
quently the entire winter passes
without single frost, and there Is
rarely ever any cod weather before
Christmas. Fruit cultare has not
been attempted in this county on a
large scale, bat there is one large
banana plantation on which this
delicious fruit yfelds most abund-
antiy and in the greatest perfection.
Grapes are also raised extensively.
growing in almost every yard. They
ripeu from two to four weeks ear
Ter than in any other section.
Many planters here make all of
their own table wines. Oranges
and lemons also grow in profusion,
aud this section could easily be
made 70 rival Florida in the pro-
duction OF oranges Sugar cane is
elso one Of the most important pro-
pucts of this valley. The Rio
Grande plantation of Mr. Geo Bru-
Law and The rabbi 5tarck plantation
produce great quantities of cane,
which IS all manufactured on the
Rio Gran@e plantation This cane
makes sugar which Is produced by
experts 10 be even superior to the
host Louisiana product Havana
tobacco has also proven a success
here, Col J G. Fucker having
made some most successful expert
ments with it; his samples were
clasSed BY New York buyers AS
equal TO The best Havana.
The county is watered by the Rio
Grapde with its ample flow along
the southern boundary. and unm
erous SMALL streams ca,led "arrOya,'
and "resac4s.
The population of Cameron conn
iy according to Che census of 1890
is 13.424. Brownsville, the county
seat, has a population of about
1000 Point Isabel, the seaport of
the county. has about 400 inhabi-
tants aud Santa Maria, growing
little river settlement, has about250.
Improved lands sell for from So
to @25 per acre, unimprnved Tor
from 50 to IS per acre The aver
age taxable value OF land is 81
There are S2240 acres of school
land in the county. The county
has II total school population oi
ttDij and uivas rulplovunaf tn 81