The daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1892-1897, 1896-11-28

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 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
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
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 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.
t adise of track gardeners, and so
soon as rail transportation is obs
tanned Cameron county vegetables
t 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
quentIy the entire winter passes
q without single frost, and there is
rarely ever any cold weather before
Christmas. Fruit culture has not
n been attempted in this county on a
5 large scale, hut there is one large
banana plantation on which this
o delicious fruit yields most ahund-
antly and in the greatest perfection.
Grapes are also raised extensively
growing in almost every yard. They
ripen from two to four weeks ear
lier than in any other section
Many planters here make all OF
their own table wines. Orange;
and lemons also grow in profusiou
and this section could easily bt
made to rival Florida in the pro
duction of oranges. Sugar cane il
Bso one Of the most important pro
pucts of this valley. The Ri
Grande plantation of Mr.. Geo. Bru
Law and the Rabb Starck plantation
produce great quantities of cane
which is all manufactured on tn
Rio Grande plantation This can
makes sugar which is produced b
experts to be even superior to til
hest Louisiana product. Havau
tobacco has also proven success
here, Col. J G. Tucker havin
made some most successful expert
mehts with it; his samples wer
classed by New York buyers a
equal to the best Havana.
The county is watered by the Ri
Grande with its ample flow alon
the southern boundary. and nun
erous small streams called ''arroya
and 'resacas."
The population of Cameron coul
ty according to the census of Is!
is 1924. Brownsville. the coun
- seat, has a population of abo
1000 Point Isabel, the seaport
the county, has about 400 inhal
tants and Santa Maria, Il growil
&c little river settlement, has ahout25
Improved lands sell for from
this to $50 per acre, unimproved +
from 81 to So per acre The ave
age taxable value of land is
me- There are S2,240 acres of sch,
land in the county. The cour
l he has total school population
400, and gives employment to
teachers The average length
the school term is five noeths. l
total tuition revenue received fir,
the State is S13 600 There are
number Of public schools in
county, affording ample education
Co advantages.
. Homeseekers are gradually
ginning to find their way to t
10 land where farmers can work III
u open air 365 days in the year. |
it is comparatively undevpiopeA
I'd w. ~, IL. h,;II:nn. e