The daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1892-1897, 1897-04-22

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southern county of Texas. 1t is
separated from Mexico by the Rio
tGrande on the south and has about
100 miles OF gulf coast as its east
ern boundary. 1t was organized in
1848, 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
Iingly heavy yield of both cotton
/ and corn the chief farm products.
Two, and sometimes three crops of
corn, averaging from 6ftv to seven-
ty bushels per acre, are raised year
Iy, while cotton will easily yield
from one to two bales per acres.
Grasses grow all the year, and stock
find pastnrae without being fed or
sheltered during the winter. But
! the soil and climate of the Lower
Rio Gfande Val ~ 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,
lspinach, English peas, etc, served
fresh from the gardens i'll midwIn-
ter. This is undoubtedly the par
adise of track gardeners, and so
soon as rail transportation is oh
tanned Cameron county vegetables
by the ear load will be shipped to
northern markets during winter and
early spring, and will obtain the
highest prices. as there will be no
mpetifion. This is due to our
xc eedingly 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
deiIcious 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
and lemons also grow in profusion,
and this section eould easily he
mads 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-
lav and the Rabb Starck plantation
produce great quantities of cane,
which is all manufactured on the
| Rio Grande plantation This cane
makes sugar which is pronouncedhy
experts to be even superior TO the
hest Louisiana product. Havana
tobacco has also proven a success
| here, Col. ] G. Tucker having
made some most successful expert
mehts with it; his samples we've
claSsed by New York buyers as
equal to the hest Havana.
The county is watered by the Rio
Grande with It's ample flow along
the southern boundary. and mum
ereus small streams Ca led arroyo,
and ''reSacas."
The population of Cameron cnun-
ty according tn 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. g growing
little river settlement, has ahout250.
Improved lands sell for from So
TO go per acre. unimproyed for
from 8 to So per acre The aver
age taxable value Of land is ST.
There are 1920 acres of school
land in the county. The eDnnty
has total 5. hool population of
AGO, aad gives employment to so
teachers he average length OF
the srhonl term is five rloaths. The
total tuition revenue received from
the State Is Sl3 600 There are
number of pnbiic schools in the
county, aff0rding ample educational
advantages.
Homeseekers are gradually be-
ginning to find their way to this
land where farmers can work in the
open air 365 days in the year. bat
lit is comparatively undeveIoped as
- IV-fb a., br;fJin.r oe Tho