The daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1892-1897, 1897-01-07

southern county of Texas. 1t is
separated from Mexico by the Rio
Grande on the soath and has about
100 miles of gulf coast as its east
ern boundary. It was organized in
I848, and contains 3308 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
ind pasturae without being fed or
sheltered during the winter. But
the soil and climate of the Lower
Rio Gfande Val ey are by nature
best adapted for the production of
vegetables and fruits. Vegetables
at 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
saon as rail transportation is Or
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. as 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 frnit yields most ahund-
antIy and in the greatest perfection.
Grapes are also raised extensively,
growing in almost every yard. They
ri7en from two to four weeks ear
Iier 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 he
mad to rival Florida in the pro-
dnction of oranges Sugar cane is
rIso 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 graat quantities Of cane,
which is all manufactured on the
Rio Grande plantation This care
makes sugar which is produced by
experts To be even superior to the
best Louisiana product. Havana
tObarco has also proven a success
here, Col. J G. Thicker having
made some most successful expert
merits with it; his SAMPLES were
classed nv New York buyers as
equal to the hest Havana.
The county is watered by the Rio
Grande with ita ample flow along
the southern boundary, and mum
erons small streams ca led ''arroya,"
and "resacas.
The population of Cameron coun-
tv according to the census of 1890
is 1924. Brownsville. the county
seat. has a population of about
1900 Point Isabel, the seaport of
the county. has about 400 inhahi-
5ants and Santa Maria, growing
little rISAr settlement, has ahoui25O.
InTnroved lands sell for from So
10 S20 per acre, nnimproved for
from g to SIS per acre The aver
age taxable valne of land is 81
There are 1920 acres of school
and in the county. The county
has ii total ho"l population of
400, ard gives employment To so
teachers The average length of
lie school term is five HIo4ths. The
.otaI tuition revenue received from
he State is Sl3 900 There are a !
number of public schools in the
,onnty. affnrding ample educational i
advantages.
Homeseekers are gradually be-
to ind their way to this
and where farmers can work in the
pen air 365 davs in the year. but
is comparatively nndeveloped as
Of WITH the hnil1inr of the