Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1917-04-05

EM
than an abundance of caution would die
tate that two TO a tree be used. lie finds
them very inexpensive and very effective,
and he has discarded patented smudge pots
when cost a dollar each. lie Is also an
| advocate Of the theory that IT "a all
wrong 10 prune citrus trees high IN the
section. AZ the books tell us he claims that
the lower branches are the most prolific
ones, and in addition preserve moisture
around the tree and keep out the wind. In
this respect. he agrees with a good many
persons who claim that the high pruning
theory is not applicable to this section.
|STRATEGIC POSITION OF HARLINGEN.
The excellent strategic position OF Hair
|%lingen, on the main line where the branch
leaves it,. and the proposed terminus OF the
micronesia Canal, has meant much and
will mean still more to it in the future. TN
account of il. here l. located the icing plant
where are iced the large number OF refrig-
orator ears which carry product from that
territory which lies between here and
Brownsville and between here and Mission.
Here also j. located the main office of the
Gulf Coast Marketing Company, a private
concern which buys on an average of n
third Of the produce which comes out OF
the Valley, with regular Offices ut Mer-
cedes, Mission and San Benito. and facili-
ties for buying at any of the other owns.
In addition they handle a large quantity
of seed for the accommodation of their
customers, and last year gave away over
n thousand dollars worth of cabbage seed.
This company claims the honor of having
introduced into the valley the custom of
paying cash for produce.
u. NJ. s. HEADQUARTERS.
Here also j. located the main office of
the Unit Marketing System, a cooperative
organization, "of, by, and FOR the FAR
mers', which has meant a great deal e
them in keeping up prices. 1t has a pre-
ferred stock of $25, 200, a common stock
of $25, 900. and nine hundred members. IT.
president is Mr.. j. ii. Christner, the sec
rotary-treasurer Is Mr.. l.. +. Sealy. The
object of the organization j. not To make
money, but simply expenses. and the priee
paid for produce j. aimed to be a close To
the actual price where marketed as freight
and operating expenses will permit. 1t
serves q double purpose Of keeping up
prices. acting "a a sort of club over the IN
dependent buyers, and also of keeping
freight charges within reason. II also has
a cooperative sales feature, like a city CO.
operative store, handling grain, seed, feed,
and sometimes fruit, which il sells To lts
members at cost. Last year, for instance.
il sold 10 its members at cost eighty thous-
and dollars worth of various sorts of ne
cessities. This year it j. planning to in
crea e it, usefulness To all the farmers of
the Valley by putting up tomato sheds and
employing an expert tomssto packer TO
Superintend the work and encourage this
crop in this section.
The optimism which is 20 prevalent here
new. and which j. no doubt partly attribu-
table to the recent improvements TO the
water system and a renewed faith in IT.
success j. making itself felt in more ways
than one. The big development at Lee
lands j. one phase Of il. Another il to
he seen in the general preparation of oil
the farms in this vicinity for larger crops
next season: new land is being cleared and
old land which has not been used for q
year or two is being got ready for n crop.
Building j. very active: within the last
three months eight new houses nave gone
up in town. tow are now being built, a
splendid Baptist church i being erected.
and the Christian church has just been
completed. On The Leelands proposition.
two houses have been erected, several
more are started. and plans and contracts
have been made for a good many more.
TO SPEND $4,000 FOR SIDEWALKS.
Harlingen already has two ice plants, a
water plant. and a good electric light plant.
II has long been in need of sidewalks, hut
the present burst Of progress has called
attention to this need. The city council
has authorized an expenditure of $4,000
for this purpose, and bids for a hundred
thousand square feet or between three and
four miles in length of modern sidewalks
have been advertised for. 1t j. especially
noted that the city, and not the individual
owners, j, putting in this Improvement. |
and The owners will have a long time in
which to pay for it in small in>tallments.
Like other Valley towns, the crop show ]