Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1927-10-10
VALLEYISNOT
PLANTINCTOO
MUCH
Vegetable Union Man
Tells Farmers Mar
ket Can Be Cultivat-
ed For Crops

A few years ago I thought the
Lower Rio Crande Valley was plant
ing too much grapefruit; now ! am
convinced the Valley will find q
good market for all the fruit it can
produce" Thomas ONeil, president
OF the California Vegetable Union,
stated in an address at a meeting Of
the FL Jardin unit Of the Rio
Grande Valley Vegetable Growers
Association Saturday night.
Mr.. O'Neil has just completed an
extensive survey of the central
markets Of the United States and
Canada, and reported that wherever
he went he found the dealers inter-
ested in Valley fruit and vegetables.
The fine flavor of the Valley fruit
has won general recognition in the
big markets of the country, and
Mr.. O'Neil expressed the opinion
that these markets would develop
rapidly as production in the Valley
increased.
The California Vegetable Union.
which has entered into a contract
with the Rio Grande Valley Vege-
table Growers Exchange TO market
the production Of the various units,
will also handle the fruit packed by
tie association at Mercedes. He stat
ed that they already have orders for
a large number of cars, but will not
start shipping until the Valley fruit
is well matured.
Must Develop Markets
"The Valley has several compel
itors in the vegetable markets, and
in many respects those competitors
have distinct advantages In the way
of rates." Mr.. 0'Neil stated. He
urged the growers Of the Valley to
organize themselves to eliminate
competition within their own. terri
tory, and to develop the markets for
Valley vegetables and fruit.
Competition within the Valley is
the most important obstacle TO over
come" he said, "and if the large
acreage in this section Is TO be
profitably developed the growers
must cooperate in eliminating this
competition. Your organization
should be 100 per cent"
Mr.. O'Neil reported that the veg
etable acreage in California is grad
pally being restricted by develop
ment, and that those sections or that
state which a few years ago were pro-
ducing most of the vegetables are
HOW uLOu0G4HE NtA AhNAN " SA@F
ment. lie pointed out that the Val
lev production il increasing each
season and that eventually this sec
tion will be producing as much II
not more than California. Florida
has some advantages in the way Of
rates to the large consuming CEN
tiers, but this is offset by the heavy
production costs in that state.
The tomato acreage in Mexico
will be materially reduced this year
rs a result Of the serious losses ex-
%perienced by the growers in Lower
California last season, Mr.. O'Neil
said. He advised the Valley farmers
not to plan: too much cabbage, as
present indications are there will be
q large amount 90 into storage in
the North.
Exchange Starts Shipments
F. L Hall, Valley manager for the
California Vegetable Union, talked
on Valley conditions, and reported
that small shipments Of vegetables
are now being moved by some Of the
local units, consisting mostly OF
eggplants and peppers. He stated
that the cabbage situation was not
encouraging, so far as markets are
concerned. The fall paintings, ac-
cording to information gathered by
the exchange, are about the same as
last year.
All shipments OF the Valley units
will 20 out under the "Red OWL
hand, this brand having recently
been adopted by the central ex-
change, the brand to carry the label
Of the local unit.
The various units now have a
combined membership of about 600,
and expect to increase this to at
least 1000 before the opening OF
the shipping season. Donna, which
has n membership OF 126, is the
largest unit, and Mercedes, which
started with a membership of 20,
now has 6s. Units have been or
ganized at Mission. McAllen, Edin-
burg, Pharr, Alamo. San Juan, Don.
ma, Weslaco. Mercedes. La Feria.
H%ariingen, Stuart Place, Santa Rosa
and Elsa. and IN intensive drive Is