Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1924-09-08
IN OUR
VALLEY

<Anew in horticulture.
The secret of how il is done has been
held for three years by II. G. Stilwell,
Sr., Brownsville nurseryman. but he
has decided to give il to the world for
the worlds benefit. and 50 he demon
strated IL 70 two newspapermen Sun
day afternoon, one of them T. c. Rich
ardson. field editor for Farm a Ranch
OF Dallas, the other a representative OF
The Brownsville Herald.
Mr. Stilwell believes grapes are
coming product for the Lower Rio
Grande Valley. and he has elaborate
plans in mind for their cultivation.
He has been conducting numerous ex-
periments in grare budding. one Of
them being the budding cf the Black
Prince grape onto the well known Tex.
as mustang vine. n wild grape.
He carried out piece or this work
yesterday for the benefit Of his callers
First he selected branch with a bud.
He brought out knife with a razor
hedge blade. Apparently this knife i
his chief instrument of work. for he
also used il TO cut great banana stalks.
Then selected a point on the mustang
operation is simple. if you know how to
do IL. An opening i made the depth Of
the bark. This opening is about an
inch and half long. and less than an
eight Of an inch wide. The loose bark
is cut in half. The bud is inserted.
It's all very simple you know
how it's done.
Mr.. Richardson declared not one per-
son in thousand Knows how its done.
But il all did look simple
Yes. they have bananas out at the
Stilwell place. Lots Of banana trees and
pi badly $50 lunches Of bananas on
them. These bananas are something
new in the banana line. Tie calls IL
hybrid banana. because it is a combina-
ticn Of the LADY finger" banana and
the Orinoco. The latter is not palat-
able. but combined with the Lady Fin
ger II is.
Mr.. Stilwell is very anxious to expert
mcnt with the commercial banana that
is Brought into the United States mar.
ksts He believes from his own sec
cess with the hybrid banana that it is
possible TO grow the commercial kind
But Davir Fairchld Of the United
States Department of Agriculture at
Washington. who reads the law on
what plants may be brought into this |
country and what plants may not de- |
clareJ the law says this particular ba. !
mana plant shall not be brought into the |
United States. II seems the root has !
some sort of a weevil the introduction |
Of which might menace other plants !
Repeated efforts for permission 10 i'm
port the plant are without result. Mr.. |
Fairchild merely replies with a copy % |
the law
And thsre arc other ntert sting things
on the Stilwell place. He has many
guava trees. The fruit makes a very
fine jelly.
There is the pampas-it's very dec.
orative plant.
He has single rose bush that pro |
duces both red and a white rosc-of |
course. the result was obtained by |
grating
He has new orange that he be-
lieves will prove the best for the Val |
lev orchard
Then there are japanese persimmons. |
The fruit will ripen in few weeks. |
They can he grown anywhere in the
eastern half of Texas" declares Mr. |
Stilwell. And he continues: II wonder I
why Texas reople. don't grow Japanese
persimmons:"
Avocados. grapefruit. tangelo. lemons /
If many varieties land host of other
varieties If fruits ami plants are there
Mr.. Stilwsll enjoys talking about them.
showing them. and explaining what !
NAV be done with them
II is seldom that one can catch Mr.. |
Stilwell with the time at hand 70 show ,
what he has on his place. hut one for I
tunate enough 20 obtain this time can
spend very pleasant and informative l
afternoon on his place.
oh. yes. There are also dates. We \
didn't see any figs. but We don't doubt /
that they were overlooked. there were /
so many things to see and talk about.
Since We are on the subject OF horti |
ticulture. dates and things. We are re.
minded that Harvey q. Stiles believes
that the most decorative palm for the
State Highway in Cameron and Hidalgo
Continued on page ~