The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1909-12-15
TEXAS SUITED TO
GRANGE CULTURE
'RFsPORT OF FLORIDA EXPERT is
VERY FAVORABLE.
MADE THOROUGHIHVESTIGATION
Employed by Texas Department of
observation-disclosures Coast Country
Equally as Suitable for Oranges as
Florida.


country, Prof. n. H. Hume. the not
ed Florida expert, who was EMPLOYED
by the department of agriculture to
make the Investigation, has filed a
report with the department at Aus
tin. The report includes a thorough
discussion of the problems which
Texas orange growers must meet.
and includes a description of the va
FIous sections visited with notes on
the citrus fruit groves which he saw
On his tour His report takes a very
favorable view of the outlook for
orange growing in Texas. which he
believes to be hopeful.
The subject of climate. which
plays so important part in deciding
whether or no country is adapted
tor citrus fruit, comes in for consid-
cradle attention in the report In
TACT, 1t is on the government reports
Of temperatures that he bases his as
sertion in favor of orange growing in
the coast belt, as he says:
ut does not appear, judging from
the condition of the old trees in
many sections of Texas, that the eli
mate has been more severe or inju-
FiOus to them than in many parts
OF Florida where the industry still
survives and the writer is convinced
that in so far as the Satsuma orange
Is concerned, that it is reasonably
free from risk of injury by cold In
tact. IN the district in which it can
be grown on citrus trifOliata stock,
no temperature has been registered
since 1899 which would injure this
tree if properly bundled
Every phase of orange growing in
Texas is discussed by Prof. Hume in
his report. His conclusions are ex-
pressed boldly and entirely without
evasion. IN his concluding remarks
he says.
Basirg conclusions on the infOr-
nation al hand and considering the
whole matter in relation to climatic
conditions, citrus fruits have been,
are being and will be grown in the
gulf coast region of Texas
.Satsuma oranges on citrus tri-
fo1iata stock can be produced in un-
limited quantities. Fruit of high
quality Of this variety can be grown,
hut it can not be done on any other
stock than on citrus trifOliata; it
can not be done by the use of stable
manure or other rank organic ma
teTials as fertilizer. and il can not
he done on each and every piece Of
land in the region.
The land must be selected with
reference to- good drainage, and gen
erat. adj ptability Other varieties of
citrus fTGlts cGn be grown on citrus
trifOliata stock and these viii be tax
en- up more especially under the dis
cussion Of varieties in the second
Cpaff0 QF This DubliCat iOn
I'm the lower gulf coast country.
in the section already indicated, sour
orange stock is recommended, and
while it does not produce as hardy
a,tree. yst if intelIigently handled, it
Will 20 through most of the winters
i'm good condition III this region
provision must be made for protect
ing the trees during sudden drops OF
r temperature, but ,Ais can be done,
lust as it has been done in Florida
and elsewhere.
''I do not believe that the main de
pendence of the people should be
MACE on citrus fruits in Texas any
more than I believe that this should
be done al Florida; bat a planting
OF citrus trees can be added to the
BIanting of other fruits or crops to
good advantage. That there is an ele-
ment of risk in the work, no one
can deny but ! do not believe this ele-
ment of risk is greater than it Is in
any other agricultural or hOTtiCul-
turaI undertaking in the same region.
The main crops OF oranges grown
in cOastwise Texas will be Satsuma
AVID other early or medium early IA
r{eFies. and the only fruit with
which It will come into competition
il the Valencia late fruit from Cali
fornia. of which there is not enough
TO supply the present demand, even
at prices which put the fruit entirely
out of reach of the greatest consumer
in Kmerica-the labOring man.
There are in the United States
aud Canada today about one hun
kred million people. So far as the
marketing OF citrus fruits is concern
1d fre.e two countries are one
When i population as large as this
Is reached if increases with great
rapidity, and Immigration is con
stautly adding TO our numbers
E lanes J Hill said, 1t is as well as
sured as any future event can be
that the population OF the United
States will be about 200, 100000 by
lsbo,,f the middle OF the present
century, or in less than fifty years
sAud l believe him. II will take twice
5 as many citrus fruits to supply our
markets then As it does now We
rave heard the concerted cry OF -oy-
pr supply; ws shall probably contin-
ne TO hear il. but the people who
make it are not broad-minded
( NV1tury, or in less than fifty years
{ tThis report will be published by
( le department in bulletin form and /
( zen wide circulation Prof Hume
7 Ok many photographs of orange
loves and these will be reproduced (
Nd form a part of his report +
hWbiIe this report Will be issued
faout copyright, the department I
IA discourage its reproduction IN .
rbied form, and insist in all re
Junction cotaining the text in full +