Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1917-04-16

How the Lower Rio Grande Valley. with
| its one and 4 half million acres of irrisat-
ed and subject 10 irrigation lands. with
$4,000 acres actually being titled under
irrigation. may become one, of the greatest
single section factors in feeding the Unit
ed States and its allies in war time was
laid before a meeting of farmers from all
parts Of the Valley. held this afternoon AT
o'clock in the rooms of the Board of City
Development.
W. j. (Jake) DOYLE of Houston, indus
trial commissioner for the st. Louis
Brownsville and Mexico railroad, Cult
Coast Lines. delieverd this message with
the announcement that the Valley j. being
given an opportunity To he the leader in n
movement To raise feedstuffs and food
stuffs over the country under the direction
Of the United States department Of aeri-
culture The plan j. the outgrowth of the
visit to Houstonn last week vi Carl Nroo-
man, assistant secretary Of the Depart
mcnt of Agriculture, who has been touring
Texas.
Today's meeting follows series of town
mass meetings held in all parts Of the Val
ley or Saturday al the instance Of Mr.
DOYLE. who had the cooperation of the var
ious station agents. and at which delegates
were named To attend the Brownsville meet
ing.
Mr. DOYLE points out that there cannot
possibly be a financial loss 10 the farmer
L. a.. that 4
food shortage at present. and that this
shortage promises To be heightened wher
the army Is filled up and the one thous-
and merchant ships to be built by the Unit
ed States in the next year To carry sup
plies 10 the allies have put 10 sea.
| One hundred and fifty men who attend
ed the meeting packed the little auditorium
at the Board of Development 10 its yer,
capacity, indicating the intense interest
which has developed from the suggestion
Of Mr. DOYLE. Farmers. merchants ans
bankers were included in the audience. II
was the consensus Of opinion without the
necessity of vote, that the Valley vii
cooperate with the government in what
ever way the government may suggest
some of the farmers present stated tha
financial help would be needed to carry
ont some of the plans discussed whis
while Others said that more farmers vii
be needed in the work.
The actual acreage represented by the
delegates present at the meeting was
Raymondvlle. 5000 acres; Donna. 2.50t
acres; San Bcnito. $4,000 acres: llarlin-
gen, 10000 acres: Ia Feria, $500 acres
Mercedes. 10000 acres: San .Iuan-P -Pharr
200 acres: McAllen. 5000 acres: Mis-
sion. $4,000 acres: total 139,5O0 acres.
The farmers plan to place themselves
and their acreage under the orders Of th'
United States department of arricuitur,
just a. soon a. the present grow,ns crop,
are gotten rid of. The main crops to b'
planted this summer probably will I've corn
and other feedstuffs that viii grow wei
il this climate during the summer 'n"nihs
When the summer crops have accl gottcI
off the land. the efforts WIZ he "oncen
tratod upon the raising of vegetables Il
fe~,, the hundreds of millions of the war
ring nations.
II was decided that farmer and bus
inessman in each community will be ap
pointed committee to discuss and worl
out the plans for growing the crops. whlcl
will include seed supply and general fl
nancine of the crops.