Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1912-10-16
TROPICAL FRUITS
FOR LOWER VALLEY
Spohn Calls Attention to the
Many Varieties of Fruit that May
be Grown Here.

hoSCo With lnc bOWCi IllO hidIuC
Valley possesses, there is perhaps
none of greater Importance han its
tropical fruits and foods, and it is
amazing that with such overwhelm-
ing evidence of their successful
growth here, that every farmer has
not al least planted some of the com
moner and most useful varieties.
If there is anything that will
make the lands OF the Valley bring
$4,000 per acre, it is successful citrus
fruit groves. And with hundreds of
Seeding trees OF this group growing
around us, bearing fruit, practically
without any attention or care, who
can say how well an orchard would
thrive if cultivated and properly
cared for?
Let me call your attention to some
of the varieties that can be seen any
day: Grape fruit, lemons, oranges,
bananas, date palms, avocados, lines.
Pomegranates, persimmons, figs,
kumquats, guavas. plums, loquats,
olives and almonds Besides these,
certain kinds Of peach. pears. apples
and grapes do extremely we'll.
The pecan rec is native and will
grow wherever there is good soil
and moisture. The select varieties,
large thin shelled. bring fancy prices
and while it takes five or six years
to come into bearing the returns
soon become very profitable and it
should be planted freely, especially
where there is a vacant place around
the house, along laterals and other
out Of way locations. After becom-
ing firmly established it needs little
cultivation and it will pay for itself
a hundred times yer in ten years.
Grape fruit is a very profitable
fruit; the quality being good, and
that has been proven here; budded
on hardy stock it grows well and will
not freeze out, if any protection is
afforded. 1t begins bearing the sec
ond year, gives a full crop the fourth
year, and that means at least $500
per acre in eturns.
1t will grow on n of the soil
here, best on the heavy black land,
requires little attention; takes but
o%ne-fourth the land until it begins
to bear; needs only a windbreak;
mounding during winter, and if the
temperature goes below "a smudging
is required to fully protect it.
The same is practically true of
oranges; lemons are more tender
and need more protection: the rest
need no winter protection.
But the needed windbreaks cost
but little. With them it is easy to
get sufficient protection with the
smudge pots. The great value Of
smudging as a savior of both fruit
and trees has been fully proven in
both Florida and California. The
expense of protection is small COM
pared with the benefits secured.
The Valley of the Lower Rio
Grande ought to be one great grove
OF orange and grape fruit, and the
writer is optimistic enough to be-
lieve that it is destined to be.
But the beginning can be made on
an experimental basis, and every
farmer owes it to himself and the
Valley to put out enough trees to
demonstrate their worth. The cost
is small, and if they are given ARE
and attention, the results will be so
good that the commercial orchards
will soon come.
Let us make a beginning. Plant
some. ever % trees for a start will
soon make q
Successful grape fruit groves
ought to be developed here at a total
cost of stock. windbreak. smudging,
pruning and care, to a bearing age
at a cost not exceeding SO per tree.
A bearing trees is rated in Florida
as worth from $25 to $50 each. Good
grape fruit orchards are worth from
$4,000 to $4,000 per acre.
Think OF the possibilities along
this line. Surely ii is well worth
working out TO the answer. AM
beyond a doubt. there is a wonderful
opportunity open to the successful
fruit grower in this valley.
Now is the time to begin. Plant
only the very best. give your best
efforts to the work; conquer the diff
ficulties and you will succeed.
Natural conditions proclaim this
is a citrus fruit belt. have con