The daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1892-1897, 1897-04-24

1 y
I Grande ON the south and has about
100 miles of gulf coast as It's east
ern boundary. It was organized in
ii845, 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
Iingly heavy yield of both cotton
and corn the chief farm products.
Two. and sometimes three crops of
Icorn, averaging from CITY to seven-
ity bushels per acre, are raised year
lily, while cotton will easily yield
from one to two bales per acres.
Grasses grow all the year, and stock
| find PASTURE without being fed or
sheltered during the winter. But
the soil and climate of the Bower
Rio Grande Valley are by nature
best adapted for the production of
vegetables and frnits. Vegetables
of all kinds grow all the year
around, and northern people are as
tonished to lind tomatoes, lettuce,
ispinach; English peas, etc., served
fresh from the gardens in midwin-
tier. This is undoubtedly the par
adise OF truck gardeners, and SO
lsoon as rail Transportation is oh
tanned Cameron county vegetables
by the car load will be shipped to
| northern markets during winter and
Iearly spring, and will obtain the
| highest prices. as there will be nc
o mpetitioh. This is due to our
xe eedingIy mild climate. FIRE.
quently the entire winter passes
without single frost, and there is
1 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-
antly 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
land lemons also grow in profusion,
and this section could easily be
made to rival Florida in the pro-
ductidii 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 The Rabb Starck plantation
Iproduce great quantities Of cane,
which is all MANUFACTURED on the
Rio Grande plantation. This cane
makes sugar which is pfoiiouncedby
Iexperts to be even superior to the
best Louisiana product. Havana
tobacco has also proven a success
here, Col. ]. G.. Tucker having
made some most successful expert
ments with it; his samples were
cIassed by New York buyers as
equal to the best Havana.
The county is watered by the Rio
IGrande with its ample flow along
the southern boundary, and NUN
erous small streams ca led arroyo, "
and ''resacas.
The population of Cameroii ebnn-
ty according to the census of 1890
is 1924. Brownsville; the county
seat, has a population of about
1000, Point Isabel; the SEAPORT of
the county, has about 400 inhabi>
tants and Santa Maria; a growing
little river settlement, has ahout25O.
Improved lands sell for from SIS
to $25 per acre, unimproved for
from 50 to SIS per acre. The aver
age taxable valfie Of land is 81.
There are 82,240 acres of school
LAND in the county. The county
has a total school population of
400; and gives employment to 80
teachers The average length of
the school term is i've mouths. The
total tuition revenue received from
the State is S13 600. There are
number of public schools in the
county. affording ample educational
advantages:
H0diesseikerTs are gradually be-
ginning to find their way to this
land where farmers can work IN the
open air 1858 days in the year. bit
Iit is comparatively undeveloped as
yet: With the building. of the
railroad to Corpus Christi. however;
a great influx 0f settlers may be
| = I IL 81 L. l5-TLncT