The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1908-01-17
News From the Far South.
,pIToR TRUE NoRTHERNER,

EDITOR TRUE NoRTHERNER,
Dear SIR Thinking th't descriptive
letter from this section would interest
your readers, herewith append a few
observations OF this section:
live, when at home, miles north OF
you, and left for this place on the morn
ing OF December 10, OF, my object be
ing the installation OF an irrigation
plant for a gentleman here who has pur-
chase tract OF land over in Mexico
touching the Rio irande and extending
&c. 900 veras south and back from the
river. A vera is 80 inches.
On the way down. which takes four
days, found snow continuously until
nearly down the southern slope OF the
Ozark mountains in Arkansas, leaving
the snow at point about 10 miles north
of Van Buren,, Ark on the Frisco rail
road.
This place is about 1900 miles from
Paw Paw and the climate is very different
FROM that in Michigan, especially at this
time Of year. 1t is as warm here as
mid summer is in Michigan, about the
only difference being that here they are
liable To have "northpr" that some
times runs the mercury to the freezing
point for one night Usually, though
the drop is between Az and 90 degrees.
The people have great dread of the
"north9r," which is simply change OF
the direction OF the wind from south to
north. but they are vey suscep ible to a
little GOODNESS and have a thorough
dread Of it. l was here four months
last wioter and onl, one frost occurred
on February g.
Up to two years ago but few people
had ever heard Of this section, but since
the advent OF the ST. Louis, Brownville
& Mexico railroad and the adoption of
the semi-monthly list and 81 Tuesdays)
homeseekers' excursions, thousands OF
people have invested 10 land for specu.
lation and for home making. The coun-
try is quite level and covered with brush
and small trees. almost all of it very
thorny. There are some salt prairies
covered with large punches OF coarse
grass.
Corn, cotton and sugar cane do quite
well in this SECTION, also sorghum for
hay, but the great attraction is garden
ing, which occupies the winter half OF
the year. find that many who are try
ing this quick road to wealth have been
meeting with failure, but there are some
who are making a success, though
good deal is due to fortunate combina.
81 ha 10 20 g. l.
but it is necessary to irrigate to succeed,
as rainfall is very limited. Ia the last
60 ears it has varied from eight to 90
inches, (record kept at Fort Brown usu-
ally though it is nearer the smaller
amount. You cannot find fiuer vegetables
conditions. Olinito, nine miles north of
here, is one of the leading garden sta
tiops, as they have an abundance Of wa.
ter, which is pumped from the Rio
G.ande. A gentleman here with whom
became acquainted last winter has had
a fortunate year. During the latter
part of the winter he sold $500 worth of
head lettuce, during the late spring he
sold 81 ,975 worth of celery and during
the summer made 81 bales OF cotton,
netting about $4,000 more. He owns
1l5 acres, and now has some 30 to 10
acres of as fine garden as it is possible
to grow, consisting mainly of California
celery and onions. He has been mere
five years coming from south east Indi-
ana. He tried rice farming two years,
making nothing, and also lost on a crop of
onions and crop OF cabbage. This man
studies his business very closely and is a
close observer of results and their causes.
and to this is largely due his success.
Another man received $4,000 for nine
acres Of cabbage last spring. Another
made III bales of cotton and has pur-
{ hased 2l7 acres Of land at $40 an acre
A firm of gardeners from Racine, Wis
Piper Bros. have raised large acreage
of cabbage for three or four years. They
shipped 60 carloads last spring from
Brownsville at a price ranging from one
to pa cents per pound. Numerous
others have only come out even or lost
money.
Like all sections, this has some disad-
NdDldRtS, que WulCu WOulu COuC0
Michigan man in tender spot, that be-
ing poor and warm drinking water.
Wells generally are salt or brackish,
hence river water is generally used.
Fleas are also numerous, and there are a
few other pests, such as sand flies, mos
qultos, though at this season they are
OF at all bad and house flies hold forth
the year round. The mosquitoes are as
not ling when compared with what we
had in Michigan last June and July.
mere are large irrigation enterprises
well advanced at various stations along
this end Of the railroad and up the
ranch line running up the Rio Grande
some go miles Most land is held at $50
and more per acre. Last winter much
cou d be bad at s25 and $50 per acre. /
lived in Florida III years aud find that
some points OF this section is ahead Of
the land of flowers. Here the land is
very fertile, weather clear and dry and
nostropical scenery There, land is
very,poor sand, lots of rain three -fourths
ofsthe year, and fine tropical scenery
For the man who wants to farm and
uants n section with winter this place