The daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1892-1897, 1897-05-05

Cameron County is the extreme
southern county of Texas. 1t is
separated from Mexico by the Rio
Grande on Che south and has about
100 miles of gulf coast as its east
ern boundary. It was organized in
l1848, 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 sui and climate OF the Lower
Rio GraDde Valley are by nature
best adapted for the production of
vegetables and fruits. Vegetables
of all kinds grow all the year
around, 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 truck 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, aud will obtain the
highest prices. as there will be no
ompetition. This is due to our
eeedingIy 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 frnit-yyies.dis most abund-
antIy 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. 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
also one Of the most important pro-
pucts of this valley. The Rio
Grande plantation of Mr.. Geo. Bru-
lay and she Rabb Starek plantation
produce great quantities of cane,
which is all manufactured on the
Rio Grande plantation. This cane
makes sugar which IS pronouncedby
experts to he even superior to the
best Louisiana product. Havana
tobacco has also proven success
here, Col. J G. Tucker having
made some most successful expert
mehts with it; his samples were
classed by New York buyers as
equal to the best Havana.
The county is watered by the Rio
Grande with its ample flow along
the southern boundary. and mum
erous small streams called '-arroya,
and "resacas."
The population of Cameron eoun-
ty according to the census of 1890
is Is, 424. Brownsville, the county
seat, has a population Of about
! 1000, Point Isabel, the seaport Of
the county. has about 400 inhabi-
sants and Santa Maria, a growing
little river settlement, has ahout250.
Improved lands sell for from SIS
to S25 per acre, dnimproved for
from 81 to S6 per acre. The aver
age taxable value or land is 81.
There are 1920 acres of school
land in the county. The county
has a total school population of
400, aud gives employment to 80
teachers The average length of
the school term is five months. The
total tuition revenue received from
the State is S13 COO There are
number of public schools in the
county, affording ample educational
advantages.
Homeseekefs are gradually be-
ginning to find their way to this
land where farmers can work in the
open air $50 days in the year. but
it is comparatively undeveloped as
vet With the bnil9;nr oe tbo