The daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1892-1897, 1896-09-18


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
1S48, 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.
ly, 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 Lover
Rio Grande Valley 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 midwn-
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, rs 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 cold weather before
Christmas. Fruit culture has not
been 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 arg 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 profusion,
and this section could easily be
made to rival Florida in the pro-
duction of ordnges. Sugar cane is
glso one Of the most important pro
pucts OF this valley. The Rio
Grandp plantation of Mr.. Geo. Bru-
Law end The Rabb Starck plantation
produce great quantities OF cane.
which is all manufactured on the
Rio Grande plantation This cane
makes sugar which is produced by
ieXperts to he even superior to the
best Louisiana product Havana
tobacco has also proven a success
here, Col. J G. Thicker having
made some mnSt successful expert
Imcnts with It: his samples were
clasSed hy New York buyers a.
equal to the hest Havana.
/ The county Is watered by the Rio
Grande with its ample flow along
1.-THE southern boundary, and mum
.prous small streams ca led '-arroya,'
ana "resacas."
The population Of Cameron conn
tv according to the census of 1886
is 1924. Brownsville. tie, comfy
seat, has a population Of about
1000 Point Isabel, the seaport OF
1.-The county. has ahpI!t 400 imhabi,
tants and Santa Maria, "a growing
little river settlement, has ahoui250
Improved lands sell for from s.
! to %25 per acre, nnimpFnved iol
from 81 to SIS per acre The aver.
ago taxable v,ine of land is 81
Ihera are 1920 acres IF schoa
land il tia county. The count,
h.ts total S hool population q
440A, ard gives cn!plnYnrit 10 81
teachers lhe average length o
the school term is five iao..ths. III,
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