The daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1892-1897, 1897-02-23

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 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 fiftv 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 Lower
Rio Grande 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 sc
soon as rail transportation is oh
tanned Cameron county vegetable;
by the car load will be shipped t.
northern markets during winter ant
early spring, and will obtain tn
highest prices, as there will be M
competition. This is due to on
exceedingly mild climate. Ere
quently the entire winter passe
without single frost, and there /
rarely ever any cold weather befor
EChristmas. Fruit culture has no
been attempted in this county on
large scale, bnt there is one larg
banana plantation on which thi
delicious frnit yields most ahund
antly and in the greatest perfection
Grapes are also raised extensively
growing in almost every yard. The,
ripen from two to four weeks ear
lier than in any other section
Many planters here make all o
their own table wines. Orange
and lemons also grow in profusion
and this section could easily b.
made to rival Florida in the pro
duction Of oranges Sugar cane i
also one of the most important pro
pucts of this valley. The Ri
Grande plantation of Sir. Geo. Bru
lay and The Rabb Starck plantation
produce great quantities Of cane
which is all manufactured on TIL
| Rio Grande plantation This can'
makes sugar which is pronouncedbl
lexperts to he even superior TO th'
hest Louisiana product. Havani
tobacco has also proven a success;
here, Col. J. G. Tucker havin.
made some most successful expert
mehts with it: his samples were
eIassed by New York buyers a
equal to the best Havana.
The county is watered by the Rit
Grande with its ample flow along
the southern boundary, and mum
prous small streams Ca led arroyo,
and 'resaeas."
The population of Cameron conn.
ty according to the census of 1896
is 13,424. Brownsville. the county
seat, has a population of about
| 1000, Point Isabel, the seaport oil
the county. has about 400 inhabi,
tants and Santa Maria, growing
little river settlement, has ahout250
! Improved lands sell for from S;
to S25 per acre, unimproyed fol
from g to Sc per acre. The aver
age taxable valne of land is 81
There are 50. $40 acres of schoo
land in the county. The count,
has a total s:hool population o
400, and gives employment to s.
teachers The average length o
the school term is five mouths. TIL
total tuition revenue received iron
the State Is Sl3 600 There are
number of public schools IN til
county. affording ample edneationa
advantages.