The daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1892-1897, 1896-12-02

!
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
1848, and contains 330S sqaare
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 i
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
Ily, while cotton will easily yield
frcm 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
hest 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 midwlp-
ter. This is undoubtedly the par
adise of track gardeners, and so
soon as rail transportation is OBJ
tanned Cameron county vegetables
by the ear load will be shipped to
northern markets during winter and
early spring, and will obtain the
highest prices, as there will he no
competition. This is due to our
exceedingly mild climate. Free
auently 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, bnt 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
ri3en from two to four weeks ear
ier 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 be
made tn rival Florida in the pro,
duction Of oranges. Sugar cane il
elso one Of the most important PRO
pucts of this valley. The Ric
Grande plantation Of Mr.. Geo. Bru
Law and the rabbi Starck plantation
produce graat quantities of cane
which is all manufactured on tn
Rio Grande plantation This can,
makes sugar which is produced BY
experts to be even superior to tht
best louisiana product. Havaru
tobacco has also proven a success
here. Col. J G. Tucker havin.
made some most successful expert
ments with it; his samples wer,
classed by New York buyers a
equal to the hest Havana.
The county is wafered by the Ri,
Grande with its ample flow alon.
the southern boundary, and mum
prous small streams ca led arroyo,
and "resacas."
The population of Cameron coun
ty according to the census of 169
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, GROWN
little river settlement, has ahout25l
Improved lands sell for from s
TO $50 per acre, unimproved f
from - to IS per acre The aver
F., age taxable viue Of land is S
There are 82.2+0 acres of scho
land in the county. The count
has a total school population
> 4i0N. ard gives employment to
teachers The average length
the school term is five moths. =
total tuition revenue received fro
, the State is Sl3 GOO There are
number of public schools in ii
:; county, Attending ample education
advantages.
Homeseekers are gradually b
E ginning to End their way to til
land where farmers can work in Il
open air 365 days in the year. b
y il is comparatively undevelopei
veg, With the building Of II