Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1925-09-11
IN OUR
VALLEY

HE LOWER RIO GRANDE VALLEl
= probably excites more editoria
comment than any other section of the
state.
Not so long ago some newspapers il
North Texas were frequent critics o
the last legislature for remitting a por
tion of Cameron county's taxes to aic
flood control. Most of those who were
adversely critical of the act were not
wholly familiar with the situation, anc
did not consider that Cameron county
was to pay large part of the tax, al
least for some years to come.
In other cases, however, the editorial
comment on the Valley is more favor
able, and helps greatly to advertise the
Valley.
Recently The Herald carried an ar
ticle regarding the unusual crop success
of Mr.. Owens, farmer near Mercedes
The Sherman, Texas, Democrat saw
the story and carried the following
editorial:
"Fifty-nine bales of cotton from a
38-acre tract is the record yield of a
farmer living near Mercedes in the
Rio Grande Valley. Bold newspaper
headlines in newspapers of that district
tell of this progressive farmers accom-
plishments and to the uninitiated it
would be supposed. that this came be-
cause of an unusually good season for
the phantom new soil
But such was not the case. The
newspaper story tells us that the land
has been cultivated for several years.
The statement that it is improving in
yield every year is explained by the fact
that credit is due partly to fertilizer,
applied at cost of $3.50 per acre. Co.
ing further into the reasons for the
high production, we find that he had a
good stand from carefully selected seed
followed up by close cultivation and
care.
"The part the fertilizer played in the
Yield was determined by comparisoa
with soil which received no food, soil
of the same type with the same seed and
cultivation. Very few farms in the
vicinity are making a bale to the acre
and this same farmer made less than
bale where fertilizer was not applied.
Acid phosphate was the soil builder
used and the farmer stated he believed
this increased the yield about 240
pounds to the acre. On one row the ap-
plication of acid phosphate was doubled
and the yield was 500 pounds to the
acre more than on land with no fertil-
izer.
TYPE of the land is not mentioned in
the story but the farmer paid $3.50 an
acre when he bought it. This year he
eclipsed the record he made the previous
year when he made more than bale
per acre on the same land
This has lesson for farmers Of this
section: the use of fertilizer pays and
pays in good measure. The crop this
year will bring that Mercedes farmer
enough to equal the cost of the land
Time was when Grayson county lande
made high yields and use of fertilizer
should pay just as it did near Mer-
cedes"
Citizens Of the Lower Rio Grande
Valley expect to gather at the La Feria
high school tonight to consider plans
for reorganization Of the Valley Cham
Der of Commerce.
The officers of the organization have
resigned Their designations become
operative when their successors are
elected. Possibly an election will re,
suit from tonight's meeting.
The Valley needs some sort of an or
ganization which should be to the Val
ley what local chamber Of commerce
is to its home city. And if there is not
a Valley organization, then each Valley
county should have an individual or
Valley-wide questions.
Organization made California 1t may
have been cooperative marketing, or
chambers of commerce, or whatnot, but
at least their efforts have been eff
fective.
Some five hundred telephones went
out of commission in Sunday nights
downpour.
Putting them back in order is no
small undertaking for the construction
men.
There's. little bug that eats into
lead cables. The bug makes holes
about the size of a pnpoint Holes
allow water to enter. Water in a tele-
phone cable has the effect Of cutting
the line. The wires on the outer side
are wet first. Those inside are protec-
ted for a while, but the water soaks
through. Then there's more trouble.
An repairs involve lot of trips
between the wet spot and the telephone
exchange.
Scores of willing. helpful public spir-
tied citizens have been giving much
time and labor in the protection Of
levees already built and in helping
to build new ones.
Too much water at this time of the
year is not harmful to crops. as this
is an off crop month. But too much
water makes getting about freely very
inconvenient.
Flood control promises to help the
situation greatly.
The river bed is slowly being raised
by silt deposits. Levees will go higher
and higher. Flood control will heir
that, too.