Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1927-11-13
CROPS ON
LOWER RIVER
PLANTATIONS
Paintings This Season
Will Exceed Those
OF Any Previous
Year, Is Indicated

Between 5000 and $500 acres will
be planted to potatoes, truck and cot
ton on the lower river plantations
below Brownsville this season, and
production in that section Of the
Valley Is expected to break all rec
ords. Cotton will lead In the total
acreage, with potatoes ranking sec
ond- Cabbage and peppers will be
the principal truck crops.
Shipments from the lower river
plantations. which consist OF the
b. III. Stiles, or old Piper Plantation
Of 1900 acres; Southwest Planta-
ton Of 1900 acres, Brulay Plantation,
which contains approximately AGO
acres, and the Singer rabbi and
Starck Plantations, which have shown
a steady increase in recent years.
Cotton has for years been the major
crop of the plantations. which in
clude some Of the oldest cultivated
areas on the lower border. But in
late years potatoes have been grown
in large quantities, the soil having
proven especially adapted to that
crop.
Part on the land included In the
plantations was brought under Guilt
vation nearly fifty years ago. The
Brulax. plantation wns one OF the
first on the lower border TO install
IN irrigation system, and for years
was u highly productive sugar pro-
ject. Each OF the plantations has its
own pumping plant, all fronting on
the Rio Grande.
Large Potato Acreage
The Stiles Plantation, generally
known as the Piper Plantation, man
aged by Frank Brown, is n of the
largest cotton and vegetable farms in
the South, with over 1900 acres under
cultivation. In recent years the plan
tation has been producing large guam
tiles OF potatoes, and will this year
plant $50 acres to that commodity.
the paintings to start in December.
The spring vegetable crop will On
sist Of SO acres OF cabbage. 80 acres
Of peppers, 80 or beans, I'D OF egg
plant and 10 Of caulSflower, with
about 10 acres planted to miscel-
laneous varieties. Approximately 90
acres will Be planted to forage crops
and 500 acres TO cotton.
Thirty acres Of citrus fruit Is now
bearing on this plantation. The crop
is beginning to move, and is marketed
through the Texas Citrus Fruit Grow
ers Exchange. Part Of the orchard
was among the earliest paintings in
the Valley and Is bearing pro-
~lifically.
The land Is irrigated BY n system
OF five pumps, three OF which are
portable. Two 10-inch. two S-incn
and one 6-inch pumps are used. a 25-
horsepower oil engine and three trac-
tors providing the power. The plan
tation has 2 IL miles OF river front
age with six pump sites from which
the water can be- pumped into the ir-
rigation canals. The pumping ar
ranRement for the plantation Is rath-
err unique ns some Of the pumps can
be moved 10 different sites 20 pump
irrigation water for different parts
Of the acreage
Large Acreage on Southwest
approximately 1850 acres will be
under cultivation this year on the
Southwest Plantation, which bears
the distinction OF being the most
southerly agricultural land on the
mainland OF the United States. For
several years this plantation has been
one on the biggest producers or early
potatoes in the United States. and IL
il estimated that approximately 800
acres will be planted 20 that com
modify this year. Large acreaRes cf
cotton and spring truck win also be-
planted.
The Brulay Plantation. now owned
by Thos. =. Nye, viii have approxi-
mateiy 400 acres under cultivation.
with potatoes and cotton as the prin-
cipal crops, and the Singer Plantation
will plant approximately 300 acres.
The Frank Rabb plantation, con-
ting Of 400. acres, which includes
the famous natural palm grove, will
have approximately zoo acres under
cultivation, with the major portion of
the acreaTe devoted 70 cotton, Do
tat0es and truck
The Etarck Plantation. which eom-
prisez 240 acres. now has y acres
planted 20 fall potatoes, and 120
acres will be planted in December
ard January for the early spring no.