Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1924-12-21
MANY THOUSAND
ACRES OF YOUNG.
TREES PLANTED
Shipments in 1924 Ex-
pected to reach 700
Cars; Rapid Increase
Will Be Made
BY HARRY l.. SEXTON

with 23,O0O acres planted to
citrus rfuit trees, the planting of
about 1000 additional acres
this season assured, production
OF citrus fruit has already been
established as one of. the princi-
pal industries of the Lower Rio
Grande Valley. Over rs per cent
OF this increase has been plant
ed in the past four years, and has not
yet come into bearing. Shipments this
year Will not exceed 700 carloads, but
within four years the Valley will rank
among the major citrus fruit produc-
ing sections of the world.
For over a half century California
and Florida have held positions of
supremacy in citrus fruit production.
There has been no other section of tie
United States which has attempted to
develop the industry upon a large scale.
But when horticulturists learned that
the soil and climate of the Valley blend
in almost perfect combinations in the
essentials for citrus culture, they soon
had under way a development which
VIII eventually challenge the supremacy
of the older citrus growing sections.
Horticulturists have been practically
unanimous in declaring that the ideal
essentials for the development of q
very profitable industry have been
found in the Lower Rio Grande Val
ley. The acreage suitable for citrus
production runs into huge figures, and
the potential wealth this industry
holds forth is beyond computation. No
one attempts to forecast the degree Of
developme mt the citrus industry will
attain, but the paintings already made
give the assurance that within a few
years Rio Grande Valley fruit will be
n strong contender On the markets,
and the superior quality Of the Valley
fruit indicates that it will encounter
no serious difficulty in attaining and
maintaining the favor or the fruit
buying public.
No Longer an Experiment
Commercial development of the citrus
fruit industry is of comparatively re-
cent date, but it has been developed
sufficiently to give assurance to the
Valley growers that their citrus acreage
will prove highly profitable, more pro-
fitable than a similar acreage in either
OI lHc OlutI ClIIuS 1Iult pIOuuNIuS ~
tions. The experimental sage in the
Valley has been passed, and the eX-
tensive development stage has arriv-
cd. The industry has become firmly
established, and capital for its develop
ment is coming to the Valley daily
through the ever increasing number of
homeseekers who are purchasing Val
ley lands and expanding part of their
capital in planting citrus fruit or
chards.
The entire Valley is filled with cit
rus enthusiasm, enthusiasm engeneder-
ed by the remarkable success Of the
pioneers in the industry. Every hcme-
seeker coming to the Valley is Impress
ed with the remarkable growth and
development of the citrus orchards, the
profits these orchards return upon the
investment within four or five years.
They realize that what was an expert
ment has become an established indus
try; that the future prosperity of the
Valley has been assured by the sue
cess of citrus culture; that future
trainloads of golden grapefruit and
oranges will bring golden prospesity.
increasing the value of lands and
bringing in its train development up
on a scale such as the pioneers of the
Lower Rio .Grande Valley never anti
cipated.
Industry Develops Rapidly
According to conservative estimates
by experts there are now 5000 acres
planted to citrus fruit in the Valley
and at least IL, 900 additional acres will
he planted this season. BY June /,
1925, over IL per cent Of the c~ultivat-
ed area of the Valley will be set out
to citrus fruit. Less than % per cent
of the citrus fruit acreage has attain
! ed bearing age, and only a very small
percentage has attained full bearing.
Practically all TIE trees come into
bearing at the age of four years. and
the production increases each year un-
til they attain the age of 30. There
are no trees of that age in the Valley,
but Florida and California records
show that the average for the tree af-
ter passing 80 years is about the same,
gear after year.
The Valleys first shipments Of citrus
fruit OF a commercial scale were mads
in l920-21, when seven carloads were
shipped out, and by 1929 the pro-
duction had increased to 107 cars. Last
year Valley growers shipped 2S3 cars
and the production this year, as esti-
mated by various growers and shippers.
will be between 400 and 600 cars. In
addition to these shipments. thousands
of boxes of fruit were consumed III
the Valley or were shipped north in