The daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1892-1897, 1896-09-25

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
1S4S, 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
", while cotton will easily yield
from one to two bales per acres.
Grasses grow all the year, and stock
fnd pasturae without being fed or
sheltered during the winter But
the soil and climate of the Lever
Rio Gfande 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 OBJ
tanned Cameron county vegetables
by the car load will be shipped to
northern markets during winter aud
early spring, aud will obtain the
highest prices. rs there will be no
competition. This is due to our
exceedingly mild climate. Free
1quently the entire winter passes
without single frost, and there is
rarely ever any cold 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
delcious 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 ether section.
Many planters here make all of
their own table wines. Oranges
and lemons also grow in profusion,
and this section could easily he
made to rival Florida in the pro-
duction of oranges. Sugar cane is
ulso 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 grsat 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. Havanf
tobacco has also proven a success
here, Col. J G. Thicker having
made some most successful expert
mehts with it; his samples wer,
classed by New York buyers a.
equal to the hest Havana.
The county is watered by the Ri
Grande with its ample flow alons
the southern boundary. and mum
erous small streams ca led arroyo,
e and "resacas.'
The population Of Cqmeron conn
ty according to the census of 159i
is 13.424. Brownsville, the count
seat, has a population of abou
= 1000 Point Isabel, the seaport o
the county. has about 400 inhabi
tants and Santa Maria, a CROWNS
} little river settlement, has about25t
Improved lands sell for from s
to S25 per acre, unimproved TO
: from 50 to IS per acre The aver
/ age taxahle valne of land is 81
Z ihere are 81 G4D acres OF scf1ot
land in the county. The count
has total school population q
a. 400. and gives employment to s
teachers The average length c
I, the school term is five months. TIL
Il total tuition revenue received frnl
the State Is Sl3 900 There are
a
. county, affording ample educationi
advantages,
Homeseekers are gradually b.
ginning to find their way to til
land whore farmers can work in tt
open air 365 days in the year. HI
it is comparatively undeveloped
vet. w tn the building of IL
Iailrnnd to Corpvs Christi. howeve