The daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1892-1897, 1897-02-09

Cameron County is the extrem,
southern county of Texas. 1t i
separated from Mexico by the Ri'
Grande on the south and has abou
100 miles Of gulf coast as It's east
ern boundary. 1t was organized il
1913, and contains 1903 square
miles. Farming and stock raising
are the principal Industries of the
people the location, climate and sol
being admirably adapted for both
The greater portion of the soil is Z
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.
Iy, 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. Bat
the-soil and climate of the Lower
Rio Grande Valley are by nature
best adapted for the production of
vegetables and fruits. Vegetables
af 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 truck gardeners, and SO
soon as rail transportation is OBJ
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 nc
competition. This is due to our
exceedingly mild climate. FIRE.
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 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 could easily be
made to rival Florida in the pro-
duction of oranges Sugar cane is
elso one of the most important pro-
pucts of this valley. The, Rio
Grande plantatio..ssts5ff Mr.. Geo. Br1.
lay Gid the Rabb Starck plantation
produce graat quantities of cane
which is all manufactured on the
Rio Grande plantation This cane
makes sugar which is produced by
experts to be even superior to the
best Louisiana product. Havana
tobacco has also proven a success
here, Col. j. G. Tucker having
made some most successful expert
mehts with it; his samples were
elassed by New York buyers as
equal to the best Havana.
he county is watered by the Rio
Grande with its ample flow along
the southern boundary. and mum
erous small streams lied "arroya. "
and ''resacas."
The population of Cameron conn
ty according to the census of 1890
Is 1924. Brownsville, the county
seat, has population of about
1000 Point Isabel, the seaport of
the county, has about 400 inhabi>
tants and Santa Maria, growing
little river settlement, has ahout25O
Improved lands sell for from SIS
to $50 per acre, unimproved 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
las a total school population of
400. and gives employment to 30
.eaehers- The average length of
he school term is five months. The
otal tnition revenue received from
he State is S13 600. There are al
amber of public schools in the
ounty, affording ample educational
advantages.
HonIeseekers are gradually be-
to find their way tn this !
and where farmers can work in the /
pen air 800 days in the year. bat |
IS comparatively undeveloped as
ct. With tile building of the
abroad ia C0rpvs Christi however