Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1923-05-28
WOULD ASSIST.
THE FARMERS IN.
HAIL DISTRICT.
Brownsville Farmer says VAL
ley This Year Will Have
Sufficient Prosperity to
Make up Individual Losses

\ "The area hit by the hail storm in the
e vicinity of La Feria Saturday afternoon
IL probably less than one per cent of the
X total acreage in. the Valley. Every other
Tsection of the Valley is going to pro-
duce . bumper crop this year-.he most
/ profitable crop in the Valleys history
and it is up to the farmers and bust
ness men of the Valley who have not
felt the effects Of this disaster to as
sist those individuals who have had
their crops destroyed. In othc rwords,
eQualize the prosperity, tie big cot
ton and broom corn crop will bring, by
making up, partially at least, the loss
es sustained by those farmers in the
hail area who are now broke as re-
suit Of the destruction Of their crops"
This was the comment OF n Browns
vile farmer who made the trip through
the hail area Sunday, and who stated
that many of those who sustained to-
tai losses were small farmers. newcom-
ers TO the Valley, who are depending on
the crop this year to pull them
through" While many OF the farmers In
the districts are financially able to
stand the loss, there are others who
will need assistance, he stated. The sug
gestion was made that the various com
munity organizations of the Valley
take up this matter n. their next meet
ing, and as soon as the cotton crop is
harvested make arrangements to render
financial assistance to those who may
need il.
Destruction Complete
A number of farmers and business
D. Il
other Valley towns wen through the
hail area Sunday, and found that the
destruction wrought By the storm had
not been exaggerated. Fortunately the
area was comparatively small and 1t
will have little effect upon the total
production in the Valley. but the losses
sustained by the Individual farmers
zero severe.
The hail area is little over mile
wide and approximately six miles Tong
extending from the lake bed of Tic
Cano to the Arroyo south Of La Feria-
Some hail fell further north and east on
the Wilson tract and in Santa Rosa, but
did little or no damage.
In the center of the hail area the cot
ton, broom corn and corn are comylete-
ly destroyed, the stalks being beaten
down to mere stubs. Even the sunflow
ers and cactus were cut almost leve,
with the ground. and the older citrus
trees have dents which extend through
to solid wood. This area is about half a
mile wide, and on each side of it the
crops were badly damaged. but some
late cotton and broom corn may be pro-
duced.
The damage to citrus will not he
serious, experts state, il the trees are
painted Immediately to heal the wounds.
Practically all the fruit was pounded
off by the hail. and there will be no
citrus in that district this year. The
young trees did not appear TO have sus-
tanned material damage.
Ears Of corn still hanging TO the
stalks were pounded by The huge hail
stones until the husks were broken
through and the soft corn smashed. The
long straws on the broom corn which
was nearly ready for cutting. were cut
off and broken, and the acreage Of can
teloupes in the district was completely
destroyed.