Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1917-04-13

rnli q" 800 ,lt~lr"l ire season a. fr,fl'
$50 10 $i25 per toa. with the average price.
above $110 per ton.
Figures on the axect acreage~ in the diff
|ferent crops were not obtainable. but they
must have been pretty large when the mum
her Of ears i taken unto consideration
and il is also remembered that a great deal
OF damage was done by the frosts.
In addition TO truck, it is estimated that
this year in the neighborhood Of nine
Thousand acres will be planted in cotton.
Citrus j. beir@ planted 10 4 greater degree
every day. The large nursery of Griffine
Bros, near town. has been 4 grea; induce
ment for this, but OF course this nursery.
sells TO all points in the valley, and also
raises other trees than citrus.
The castor bean. the oil Of which i used
lin making paints, varniShes, dyes. and the
mosl expensive sort Of machinery Oh. j.
being planted 10 4 greater extent each wear.
THE chief promoter Of this industry j. the
IPalmnchristi Company, with offices in
San Benito. which is guaranteeing a price
of a dollar a bushel for the beans. This
j. simply their minimum guarantee, and Of
course if the beans actually bring more III
the market, the producers will get The hem
eft Of ii. When ii l. taken into conSidera-
ton that the beans are raised IN climates
where the trees are killed each year by
frost, and continue to be 80 raised. it does
seem that in this country, where the trees
| will bear for six or seven years. and they
| are only about a. susceptible TO frost ~
citrus trees. that ii ought TO be q money
making proposition. In giving ont data
showing that the industry ought 10 do well
here, the Palmachristi Company does not
even count the first year. whereas, as
above stated. they have been found 10 pay
in climates where the first year j. the only
crop that can be raised. ID j. calculated
that two tons to the acre can be produced
here the second year.
Already varying numbers of acreagcs
have been put in at Brownsville, Mc.Allen.
Mission. S~hnryland and San Benito, a to-
tai Of about 4 thousand acres. with about
three hundred acres III San Rcnito. By
the end Of the summer ii j. hoped ~ have
in a great deal more. The company j. now
in a position TO contract for five thousand
acres. The secretary Is Mr.. II. II. Boyes,
of San Benito. Mr.. II. j. Weeks. one Of
the directors. will plant eighty acres this
summer, showing the confidence he has in
lit. The trees take little water, not more
than two irrigation~ q year.
The presence ut San Bcnito Of the mill
of the BorderlaEd Sugar company, makes
il the coEicr of y large sugar cane industry.
This company. financed, il is said, by New
York capital. plans 10 pnt IN about ninc
thousand acres III cane. III which about n
tenth Of this amount l. already in, the crop
this year 10 be- used altogether for seed
for larger planting next year. Ii has
ncreages at Santa Malia. at LIano Grandc,
and near ProareSso.
The development Of this large cane
acreage means big things for the San Be
nitc ard Rio Grande Valley Railway, rom
mDrly called the spider web" railroad. 4
par; Of which lies between The branch line
and the river, paralleling both. 1t i a
standard gauge railroad, used mainly il
hauling freight. furnishing TO the ricl
lNTmlHE -ttllfH WHICH ~ lThNtT~f- " fttftN
means Of marketing it, crops. " A. too
well known for comment that the handling
of sugar cane j. a big proposition, and fur;
nishes a large volume Of freight. There
Is no doubt that a. more of this crop j.
raised in this vicinity. that il, along with
other development, will mean the further
cxtension OF this road. the completion III
some gaps, and" the Improvement Of IT, fa-
%cilitics. In addition. since the road j.
military uses are too apparent to need
comment. In fact, il is said that The mil
tary authorities are entirely coeniznnt OF
this fact.