Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1922-10-20
CITRUS Culture
PASSED STAGE
OF EXPERIMENT
]. A. Hickman Asks Entire
Valley to Get Behind
Movement to Develop the
Citrus Exchange
BY ]. A. HICKMAN
President Lower Rio Grandc Valley
Citrus Exchange.

citrus EAcnangc
"where there is no vision the people
perish"
Solomon never uttered truer saying
than the above and il especially appiies
10 our Valley and the opportunities that
exist here today.
Thought and vision are the propulsive
powers back of every great achievement.
Nature has given to Us citizens OF the
Rio Grande Valley many good things
which we are neglecting. The greatest
Of these as we see IL is the citrus fruit
industry. Given our climate and rea-
soaable. freedom from devastating freez-
as with our wonderful soil fertility we
are surely sleeping on our rights II we
do not make the Rio Grande Valley the
leading citrus producing section OF the
United States; but we mast get the wi
sion" and our subconscious minds be-
come so thoroughly imprcgnatcd with
the thought that we cannot fail.
citras culture in the Valley is beyond
the experimental stage--we have hun
dreds of acres of wonderful bearing
groves To attest this fact. Groves that
have weathered the storms Of expert
ment. weather conditions and amateur
care. All of these are growing and pro-
ducire wonderfully in mute proof OF tho
fact that we have the natural home OF
citrus and Kindred sub-tropical fruits
and mother nature is assisting us 10
produce TO finest qualities by actual
test. Our progress in this line has been
rapid considering our few years of de-
velopment, but this rot enough. Every
land owner in the Valley should get the
vision and worship at the shrine Of cat
rus fruit and get together with unity
of purpose. Team work backed by the
vision" will accomplish wonders for us
i'm few years. The writer has recent
Is attended number of citrus meetings
In the Valley. and after years of expert
encc in meeting the public can truthful
~ say he never met higher type OF
citizenship, nor men more thoroughly
concrete on unity OF purpose than he
has met at these gatherings. Men who
stand ready 10 assist the new grower
in every way in their power.
Our strategic position for distribution
of our fruit is great asset With the
great United States and Canadian mark
ct spreading out in fan shape before US.
reaching our vast body of consumers
more quickly and more cheaply than any
other citrus producing section assures
us market al all times. Couple this
with the fact that the demand Is exceed
ing the supply means that the questions
of our productions and distribution are
definitely answered.
We are convinced that team work and
unity Of purpose backed by the vision
will accomplish for us in n few years
with our natural advantages what has
taken generations to do in other sec
tio"s. Our cost of production is and
will continue TO be lower than ether Of
the other citrus belts. Land. labor and
water being about one-half their prices.
Team work will turn the trick for US
and we appeal TO every one interested
Ia the citrus industry twh .ch should be
every land owner in the Valley 10 get
behind the infant Citrus Excha &c with
ell the influence you have. Think citrus
fruit. talk citrus fruit. plant citrus
fruit. There are many things the Ex-
change can do for you that YOU cannot
do for yourself such as securing cit
rus experimental farm. citrus SOL sur
vey. citrus packing plant-thc proper
kind and time OF spraying information
regarding cultural conditions. stab.liz-
ing the market and assistance in dispos-
ing Of your fruit TO the best advantage.
We can save $1,000 this year in the one
item Of buying our boxes II we do team
work. A president Of the Citrus Ex-
change We invite every grower and pros
nactive syrower IN ioin with uS in this
movement 10 make our Valley favor
ably known 10 every citizen of the
United States. through our production
of high quality citrus fruit. proper
trading and packing. thus assuring a
square deal" TO the consumer Of our
product.