San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-01-18
CAPITALISTS
SHOWN POTEET
STRAWBERRIES
Party From North Enthus-
iastic Over January
Vegetables.
SHOULD TELL ABOUT 1T
Ralph Durkee Takes Visitors
to See Flowing Ar
tesian Wells.

Acres of sweet, juicy strawberries
growing at San Antonio's very door
was one of the sights that greeted a
party Of tourists on its arrival at
Poteet Wednesday afternoon. Ralph !
Durkee of the Chamber of Commerce.
had charge of the party which was
composed of H. /. Hotchkiss of New
York. Will H. Mcconnell of Spring
field. ILL.,, L. B. johnson of Randolph,
Vt, and d. W. Bole Of Montreal ana
others, including Ross Noungs' HlaIS
outfielder. Two automobiles caTrleu
the small crowd in less than one hou
TO view the unusual sight OF pracu-
cally every kind of vegetable growing
in January. II
Leaving the Gunter Hotel at
o'clock sharp Wednesday afternoon
the party of tourists started on lts
way to visit Poteet, the district winch
is said to be one of the richest agrl-
cultural sections in the United states
Poteet is located in the heart OF the
artesian belt.
On its arrival in Poteet the party
was escorted by Mr.. Durkee TO H.. l.
Mumme's home. Mr.. Mumme IS
prominent farmer of the community:
Here, Mr.. Mumme and a group OF
workers were packing vegetables when
had been gathered during the day from
the 100-acre farm. Crates upon crates
of Strawberries spinach. radishes, let
tuce. turnipS, tomatoes, beets, were pc
ing placed in stacks ready for ship
~ n,,E 4ho g1tpnrigng had nor ne
gun, for the tourists were not aston
ished at the sight Of such crates OF
vegetables sor even in New York,
strawberries are selling for So quart,
and too, they had seen them on the To-
cal market for % and so cents a bas-
ket.
Party Ate Their Fill.
The party was then taken to the
fields. some Of which are owned by
J. i. Burd and others by Mr.. Mumme.
Practically every kind of vegetable
known could be seen growing in the
sandy soil which is irrigated from near
bv artesian wells. But the strawber-
ries and the plants attracted the most
attention. Some of the visitors had
never seen strawberries growing before
and could hardly believe their eyes
when the cars were brought TO n stop
in the middle Of one of Mr.. Mummes
fields After alighting the visitors i'm
mediately began TO sample the fruit Tor
they could hardly conceive of straw
berries growing in January when only
several days ago they had come from
a country where snow is on the ground
throughout the winter. The plants
were there in full sight with large,
red, juicy fruit hanging from them and
the party did not hesitate after Mr..
Burd and Mr.. Mumme had invited
them TO eat their fill. Most of the
strawberries were covered with a thin
coat of sand but this did not interfere
with the visitors heartily devOurinx
them with relish.
The strawberry surprise was not the
only one for there were fields of cab
bage, bcets, lettuce, spinach, tomatoes
and many other kinds of vegetables.
Mr.. Durkce then directed the party 10
one of the artesian wells where the
party witnessed the flow Of some of the
S,irest water in the world from an
eight-inch casing at the rate of 1000
gallons a minute. And this is not the
only we'll near POteet, according TO
Mr.. Burd. who says that there are
number of six-inch wells there which
produce an average of 900 gallons a
minute.
Bear in Two Months.
The strawberry crop of POtect Is
breaking all records this season, farm
ers say. Probably the main reason for
this. Mr.. Mumme says, is that new
variety strawberry was introduced to
the Potect farmers some time ago which
will bear two months after being plant
cd. POteet strawberries are usually
planted in the late fall and prices are
lowest in April and May.
That San Antonio has wonderful
climate as we'll as some of the best
farms in the world at her door was the
general opinion of the visitors to PO-
teet Wednesday. The fruit and vege-
tables raised there are the best in the
world and the water supply is aston
iShing, according TO Mr.. HOtchkiss,
New York broker, banker, former MEM
Der of the New York Stock Exchange,
ex-naval officer, organizer of the Sen
iOr's Golf Tournament and honorary
president of the United States Seniors
Golf Association.
Make the climate of San Antonio
known to people in the North and your
hotels will be overlooking with tourists
every year." said Mr.. Bole. whose
home is in Montreal and who is an ex-
member of Parliament and president
of the National Drug Company, which
has stores from Halifax to Vancouver.
Mr.. johnson. publisher Of five news
papers in Vermont, is spending the
winter in San Antonio. VIII II. Nc
Connell, one Of the publishers of the
Illinois State Journal of Springfield,
ILL.,, is making a lengthy visit in this
city. Ross Youngs, Giant outfielder
and native San Antonian. was also in
the party. He is spending the winter