The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-04-03
TEXAS COAST COUNTRY, HARRIS COUNTY And HOUSTON

| w ie'S OF TIVE per acre. The riC
is worth from 81 10 81 per barrel
STRAWBERRIES. Throushout tho coas
| country strawberries grow as large an,
sweet az In the best cultivated gardens o
| the North. The crop Of ono acre not In
frequently brings more than 500 proHt /,
the coast country farmer.
Pears, plums. peaches, grapes, cante,
ioupes and watermeons and nearly all III,
vegetables arc grown on hundreds o
| farms.
The fruit and garden stuff OF the coas,
country rs the first TO reach the Northern
market, making II reasonably sure tha,
the returns will be far greater than those
oil the farms OF the North.
me pro1ucts OF the South Texas farm.
IN many cases can be marketed before tn,
frost is out OF the lands in the North.
orchards IN the coast country have beer
SOLD Tor more than sinuo ali acre. Inc en-.
ndheed value was due simply to the fac,
.nat the land had been brought TO u high
state OF cultivation, that the trees were
bearing and that even at that great price
the purchasers were sure of handsome prof
us Inc experimental stage has been pass
ca IN regard to many OF the South Texas
prouucts, Much has yet TO be learned
however, before the agriculturists viii rear
the FULLEST measure o. profit from the lands
they till That the Importance oil tn,
fruit growing industry OF the coast country
is being realized is evidenced by the pres
ehee In the coast country OF agents of the
dealers of ST. Louis, Kansas City, Denver
and Chicago. The railroads have inaugur-
ated special train service, sending fast
freights made up of cars loaded with coast
country fruits and vegetables destined for
the Northern markets.
4 COAST COUNTRY FARMER who
w cared to diversity his crops and test
1 4 the capacity of his soil and the
adaptablity of the climatic conditions
might grow such variety of products as
would include all the cereals. cotton, SUI
gar cane. tobacco, ramie fruits and vege-
tables of all kinds and, in fact, every
thlng that grows in Southern land. He
could supply his table with nearly every
luxury from his own fields. gardens and
pastures and he could compete IN the mar
kets OF the North with Florida and Cali
iornta and every other section OF the
union. He could have strawberries grown
In the open field soon after the Christmas
holidays and fresh vegetables the year
round. He could have oranges, pears
peaches, figs, plums and other varieties
OF fruit plucked from his own orchards
grapes from his own vines, pecans and
walnuts grown on his own trees and fill
his pipe with tobacco grown on his own
farm.
With only two or three months OF what
is called winter two crops of vegetables
can be grown. There is scarcely any time
in the year when the Texas coast farmer.
who Utilities his time and advantages, can
not be sowing or gathering a crop.
The winter of the coast country never
lasts more than from two to three months
December, January and Fcbruary--when
fag ends OF northern cold waves penetrate
The Southern wind currents. These chilly
blasts are called "northers." They rarely
last long and are followed by mild weather
until another norther appears. These in
termittent northcrs make I'D the Texas
coast country winter.
What others have done In the coast coun-
try is possible for newcomers. That this |
is recognized is shown by the action OF
the Grand Army OF the Republic cooniza-
ton committee In purchasing tract OF
y 600 acres of land on Tres Palacios river |
md Tres Palacos bay in Matagorda coun
~, where they mean to establish large |
body of veterans and their families II is |
the purpose of these colonists TO raise
fruits and vegetables for the Northern
market and to build town of their own
,n Tres Palacios bay at the spot whcrel
stephen f. Austin landed one of his col
'nies of Texas pioneers more than sixty
years ago.
Lately there have come to the coast
from the wheat fields of Kansas
md Nebraska colonies OF Mennonltes, who
eek in this Southern country better homes
han they could make In the great grain
,elt of the Middle West. These Mennon
ties are thrifty hardy. peace preserving
ot of farmers who played no small part
n Transforming the plains OF the West into
he most wonderful of great producing re-
lions. Colonies OF these people are now
established at Memo City formerly
Thompson, on the Houston and Texas Cen
raj railway. at Westfield. sixteen miles
orth of Houston. at Crosby, twenty five
niles northeast OF Houston and at point
lear Richmond in Fort Bend county, The
oming Ct these Mennonites 10 Texas has
aused wide inquiry from other parts
{ the Union and from portions of Canada,
where Mennonite communities arc located. L
here is good reason to expect large
immigration from Oregon, South
Dakota Colorado, Nebraska, Indiana Mani
oba and other sections.
n oBACCO which was first success 4
fully grown at Willis is now
i being introduced at various places :
the coast country aud I
rcmses ere long TO be one OF me
hief products. The soil is In MANY places !,
dmirab!y adapted for It's cultivation and :
S 1t is one OF the most profitable OF crops G
nd always finds ready market It finds l
uch favor among the planters. {
Al Sugaiand Ed. II. Cunningham Co. Y
ave one of the largest sugar retneries III
lie world The plant represents an invest i
lent of nearly 81 100000. This establish q
ent not only refines sugar. but recently r
ltroduced paper mill, the paper being I
.ade from the pulp of the sugar cane.
At Brazoria, in Brazoria county. arrange i
ents are well under way for the forma- II
on of a sugar refining company in which n
c planters o. the immediate neighbor- 4
sod will be shareholders 1t is proposed
at the planters take about onc-half oil {
Ie stock and pay for the shares in sugar II
me; capitalists are prepared to put no II
sh for the other stock. II this project Is 7
carried out there Is likely TO o
similar undertakings at several other b
,ints in the coast country where sugar @
nneries are urgently needed. i
Sugar is remarkable crop In the amount i