Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1927-11-13
DELTA CITIES
CO. DEVELOP
HUGE ACREAGE
Over $4,000 Acres in
Unirrigated Section
Cleared For Plant
ing This Season
Especial 20 The HeraId.)

oHlffiEdte0 section OF lHc NaAASS
upon a scale heretofore never at
tempted has been i~naugurated by
the Delta Cities Company Of this
city. owners Of 25,l40 acres. prac-
tically all OF which viii be IN crop
this year.
w. "A. Harding, owner Of the COM
pany, has been q resident OF this
section Of the Valley fourteen
years, and the lands now being
placed on the market have been Sc
lected and reserved by him during
that period. Within the past eighteen
months practically the entire acre
age has been cleared and ploweo,
and will this year he planted 70
cotton and other crops.
III addition to the large acreage
Of farm lands the company owns
one-fourth OF the improved and un-
improved property within the city OF
Raymondville, which Mr.. Harding as
scrts IS destined 70 become the me-
tropolis Of the northern part OF the
Valley. The company also owns two
fifths Of the property IN Hargill
and most Of the townsites OF koiio
and Lasara on the Mestenas tract
on the Missouri Pacific extension
west Of R~aymondville. and al q the
townsites Of Santa Margarita, villa
mar and Santa Monica on the extern
sion southeast from ~Raymondville 70
the Cameron county line.
Large Acreage 70 Cotton
Fifteen thousand acres have been
reserved by the Delta Cities Com"
PAM and practically the entire
acreage will this year be planted 10
one variety Of cotton-Acala-mak-
ing this the greatest standardized
cotton project in the world. Gins are
being constructed for the purpose
of handling this one variety, which,
when placed on the market m such
quantity. il virtually assured an
excellent premium.
while we are planting most OF
the acreage 70 cotton this year, ana
will probably plant a large acreage
next year. we do not consider this
cotton land" Mr.. Harding said. 1T
il the finest citrus land in the
world, and the entire acreage VIII
eventually be developed as q citrus
project. There are millions Of acres
~ cotton land in the United States,
Ard while this land will produce far
better cotton than the average land,
we know that it will produce citrus
fruit Of exceptional quality and az q
production cost which makes It lar
superior 20 any other land IN the
United States for this purpose.
Citrus fruit is no experiment IN
the unirrigated area OF the Nalley'
We have a score of producing or
chards which carry off many prizes
~ the Valley fairs. The Delta
Cities Company will set out
over $4,000 trees this winter
~ their own lands. Henson a.
Tochrie. who have lands adjoining,
are setting out $4,000, and several
other large land owners will set out
from 10000 TO 10000. In fact, the
~pIanting Of citrus trees in h un-
irrigated section will this year al
most equal that Of the irrigated sec
ton"
Two Year Trees Bearing
0ra ~ the most remarkable or
ehArds In the Lower Rio Grande VAL
lev 4 that al II. w. Goss, a few miles
west 81 Raymondville, which Is bear
mp is first fruit two years after
4he trees were set out. The trees
have the trunks and branch spread
ordinarily noted in trees three and
four years old and despite the fact
thew have never been irrigated are
developing rapidly.
Mr.. Goss came 70 the Valley two
wears ago from Oklahoma, p WITH
n that period has transformed MS
acreage into one Of the most beau
tiful farm homes in the Naley.
There seems TO be no limit 70 what
TIE Valley soil cen produce under
proper cultural methods" ne saio'
II did not think 1t possible 70 grow
.rnh a. orehard as now have. The
nast sunmer has been the cryest IN
fen wears, but there has not been .
dav those trees did not put on new
growth. / have found that constant
cultivation IA the basis Of success
here and my orchard has never
lacked for care. Grapefruit trees
hearing when less than two years. OK
age would make the growers Of Flor
ida and California rub their eyes
The trees received no moisture ex-
cept the normal rainfall. and BY
maintaining a fine mulch on the sur
fact | have succeeded IN utilixlng
every drop Of moisture
Grapes are Thriving
Fxperiments conducted by Mr.
Harding indicate that grape culture
wiil eventually become one Of the
NJ. industries on the lands he ~ de-
Welcoming. Ten acres Of Carmen
rrapes. planted from cutting less
than two years ago, produced over
10000 pounds Of fruit this year. The
vines have developed runners" from
90 10 80 feet In length. and have the
appearance Of four or five-year cid
vines IN California. The grapes
Fpened in June and went onto the
market At least three weeks ahead
81 the California production.
The success attained on this and
numerous other small acreages
planted on the Mestenas tract d TAX
~ as an indication that grapes can
be grown prolificaliy and profitahly,
ara larger acreages viii be set out
this year. Next year the production
of the producing vines will be
doubled and in tive years they will
~nrne into full bearing. assuring n