The daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1892-1897, 1896-11-07

Cameron County is the extreme
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 1903 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 L3wer
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 III midwln-
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 he 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. Ere
quentiy 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 abund-
antlv and in the greatest perfection.
Grapes are also raised extensively,
growing III almost every yard. They
ripen from tNo 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 oranges Sugar cane is
elso one Of the most important pro-
pucts of this valley. The Rio
Grande plantation of Mr.. Geo. Br1l>
lay and the Rabb Starck plantation
produce graat quantities Of cane,
which is all manufactured on the
Rio Grande plantation This cane
makes sugar which is produced by
experts tn he even superior TO the
best Louisiana product. Havana
tobacco has also proven a success
here, Col. j G. Tucker having
made some NEST successful expert
ments with it; his SAMPLES were
cIassed bv New York buyers as
equal to the hest Havana.
The comfy is watered by the Rio
Grande with its ample flow along
the southern boundary, and mum
erous small streams called "arroya, y
and "resaeas."
The population Of Cameron coun.
ty according to the census of 1896
is 1924. Brownsville, the county
seat, has population of abou
| 1000 Point Isabel, the seaport o
the county. has about 400 inhahi
tants and Santa Maria, a CROWN.
little river settlement, has ahout250
Improved lands sell for from 8,
to S25 per acre, unimproved 70
from g to Sc per acre. The aver
aye taxable value of land is 81
there are S2,240 acres of schoa
lind in the county. The count
e has total school population o
400, and gives employment to s
teachers The average length o
the school term is live months. I'll
total tuition revenue received iron
the State is Sl3 600. There are
number Of public schools in tn
county, affording ample educationa
advantages.
Homeseekers are gradually be
ginning to find their way to thi
land where farmers can work in tn,