Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1924-12-21
is headquarters for the Amer
lean Rio Grande Irrigation
company, which has done
much toward identifying and

r.
has been notified that free mail dcliv-
cry will be started by the post office
department in a short time. Postmast-
er Hagcr says postal receipts are max
ing healthy monthly gains, a sure inGi-
cation sof growth in a town.
Hustling. boosting and working, the
citizens Of Mercehs have built a city
into the future with confidence that
their home will continue to deserve the
name Queen City of the Valley"
The American Rio Grande Land &
Irrigation Company, founders of Mef-
cedes, which has developed a tract of
1O4, 900 acres and which has a pumping
plant with a daily capacity Of 432 .000,-
900 gallons Of water and over 800 miles
of canals, is the largest privately own
ed irrigation system in the world. The
tract extends from the Rio Grande Is
miles north and is ten miles wide, in
the heart of one Of the most fertile
sections of the Valley.
Almost 10000 acres of land served by
the canals of this System are under
cultivation. large acreages being plant
ed in truck at the present time. More
than 2 900 acres are planted in young
orchards. The land under cultivation
has increased more than $4,000 acres
in the past IL months and the com
pany is averaging sales of more than
1000 acres a month to citizens of the
Valley and to home seekers and pros
pectors from other sections. Practic-
ally rs per cent of these sales are be-
ing made to residents Ct the Valley, Of
ficials Of the company claim.
The was bought from the
original organizers in January, 1921,
by Harry L. Seay, H. B. Seay and ,Clar-
ence E. Linz, all of Dallas, and since
that time has become one of the most
prosperous properties in this section.
Present Officers are Harry L Seay, pres
ident; Clarence Z Linz. first vice
prudent; w F. Shaw. second vice-pres-
iotnt and chief engineer; II. B. SEX
vice n.esident and secretary ani treas
! rrer: Jchn c. Jones, assistant sa3re'
tary and treasurer.
Plant Much Citrus
The production Of citrus fruit, which
! StOH Will De IL OuISIilIuiHC u y
Of the entire Valley, is making rapid
strides on this tract and is being en-
couraged by the company. The pro
duction CT citrus fruit is expected to
eventually e~ve~shadow all other crcps
On the tract.
On the %company's farm of 1000 acres,
all in cultivation, which the company
will continue to operate, there are al
present about 100000 seedlings and al
| most 10000 budded trees ready for
planting. In 1923 the company planted
IL bushels of Florida sour orange seed
and this year so bushels were planted.
Carefully selected and inspected by
the company's citrus culture expert, the
buds of grapefruit, orange, Lemons
and lines are put into the bark of the
seedlings. The trees when ready fol
! planting are to be set on en- the com
pany's extensive farm or sold to RESI-
dents on the tratc at close to the cost
of production. thus enabling farmers tc
have first class orchards at a mini
mum of expense. The trees are pro-
tected by a 'half-shade in lath-coverec
houses in the nursery and when ready
for planting nave a t~wo-year growth o.
the sour stock and one-year growth O.
the budded Tree.
Last year the land about Mcrcede:
produced 1865 cars Of vegetables anc
approximately 10000 acres planted il
cotton yielded 5000 bales of cotton OF
the land of the American Company am
sold fer approximately two and hal
million dollars. The truck Shipmentl
did not include several cars Of eante
loupes.
Good Marketing Agencies
Two national agencies maintain
plants in Mercedes for the marketing
Of the vegetables grown on that tracr
the American Fruit Growers, Inc. am
the Texas Producers Union. which il
affiliated with the California Nege
table Growers. and maintains office
al over the United States. s
The $40 acre farm operated by tn
company is probably the largest under