Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1926-04-07
I'm OUR
VALLEY


ed daily by this newspaper in CO.
operation with the United States De-
partment of Agriculture. the Texas
Market News Bureau, the United
States naval rar0 station at Fort
Brown and the iAy station at Fort
Sam Houston, may be dry reading.
But to us it's the most interesting
column in The Herald ut this par
ticular time.
We like to know that farmers are
receiving from $40 TO $50 ton for
cabbage. with five to ten tons pro-
duced to the acre.
We like to know that potato grow
ers are receiving six cents pound
or better for their potatoes. They
deserve il.
And it's interesting to know that
100 cars of vegetables left the Val
ley yesterday or the day before
or 140 cars, or ITO cars.
All that means prosperity. 1t
means more development for the fu-
ture. II means that the balance OF
the country is looking more and
more 20 the Lower Rio Grande Val
ley of Texas to supply their fresh
vegetables in the late winter and
early spring season.
The tourist is going to be real
asset to the Valley. but the solidity
Of the foundation is based on cotton,
on corn, on cabbage. on potatoes, on
beans and the other products.
The Valley really owes its present
and its future to those farmers who
have stuck through the times when
the going was rough.
Byrd L. Powell, linotype operator
on a paper at Kewanee. ILL.,. wanted
sunshine and warmth rather than
snow and ice.
He thought of going to California,
changed his mind and came to the
Valley-landed in The Herald com
posing room.
He's been writing friends at home
some things, as witness the follow
ing in the Star-Courier Of Kewanee;
"A Brownsville. Texas, newspaper
(which arrived at our desk yesterily'
lmniled by Byrd L. Powell. formerly
of this city but now feasting on new
head lettuce, new potatoes. straw
berries and with a bouquet of orange
blossoms on his table each meal says
that new Irish potatoes are now
being marketed in the Rio Grande
7 Valley, bringing the grower from
"a ra m xI npr bushel
an the same paper we notice that
there was seven inches of snow In
Fthe Texas Panhandle. The distance
between the Panhandle and Browns
willie is only little matter of about
900 miles. The native Texan gen
orally refers to his state rs one OF
magnificent distances. The King
ranch is larger than the state OF
Delaware"
The cold weather of early Janu-
airy does not seem TO have retarded
orange and grapefruit blossoms. and
the signs Of the times are that the
citrus fruit season of 1926 in the
, Lower Rio Grande Valley will be the
greatest yet. II the weather is rs
kind as it normally Is. there Is no
! reason why that crop this year should
not run to 1900 cars.
That's our guess. What's yours
They are using ethylene gas IN
blanching Lower Rio Grande Valley
celery. Lilies and Sherer. near Mer-
cedes, are the first to try 1t, and
it's reported to be a success.
They had six acres of celery and
received SIS to $3.50 a crate for the
crop.
The celery was planted in shaded
seedbeds last June and transplanted
in Steptember. The stand is light
on four acres. heavy on two. IL has
been running $50 crates TO the acre.
hut the growers expect to get 600
crates on the two acres of heavy
stand.
How's that for productiong
That ethylene gas comes in steel
bottles from up in Ohio, and the
celery is stored in the pre-cooler of
the Alexander Marketing Company
where the 'gassing" Is allowed to go
on for a period of ten days.
In 1907. the scholastic population
Of Brownsville was about 1900. The
scholastic population of the same
city today is just 400c. S'hich is not
such a poor record itself.
In 1907 there was one public school
building. There are now six in the
city proper. and they are all first
class buildings in construction and
appointment.
San Benito never misses when il
comes to putting over bond issue
for paving or any other purpose. A
new issue of 100000 voted yester-
dny promises to make San Benito the
best paved city Of its sire in Texas
or elsewhere.
And San Benitans are not overlook
ing the Importance Of sewerage ex-
tensions. They included $4,000 for
this work and another $4,000 for
city hall and fire station.