Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-02-27

Citrus fruit paintings this season WIZ nr'ns ."s
total acreage in the Valley close to $1,000, aeeo.elns
10 estimates q nu~rserymen, who report sn.s p..n.
~. .e.son greatly exceeded those Of any former year.
~ 1899 fhis entire scresge viii be in bearine-ap-
,~ox;r.<eIv 10000 acres producing its first crop. THIS
.i~nifies that the fruit movement from the saney that
vear. II thu growing season il favorable wni exceed
1000 carloads. Figuring upon the basis o. aversse
plantings-eo per cent grapefruit and 20 per cen.
oranges and other citrus-the Valley that year VIII
m, = 500 900 boxes containing over <oo,0oo.ooo grape
fruit. sufficient to supply ever person In the United
States three grapefruit.
The valley this year has produced approximately
! xoo ears o. citrus fruit, figuring the straight cars
ana express shipments. Normal growing conditions
viii assure around 1000 to 5000 cars for the i92s-2s
.~,.on and from that time on the production will al
most double each year until 1882. and will continue 20
increase rapidly after that as new orchards come into
bearing and the older trees produce more proificahy.
Conservative business men who have made . study
az the citrus fruit industry predict that the Valley
eventually viii ship from 100000 to 12oooooo boxes
Of grapefruit annually. II citrus deveiopmen. nam
Ains the present pace, and there IL every indication
IL win. tie three counties Of Hidslgo, Cameron ana
WiIlaey may eclipse the entire state Of Florida IN
grapefruit production. !,
An average Of 700 tons Of citrus fruit per day VIII
81 shipped from the Valley when production reaches
1000 carloads per year. This signifies that > tram
81 sixty cars loaded with fruit would leave the Valley
ererv dav Of the year. ~prividing the entire production
IL handled by rail. II the production Is handled py
water it would be sufficient to load q 2.oOo-ton ship
avery third day, and if so per cent were shipped BY
water it would necessitate the clearing OF one fruit
ship each week from Point Isabel
The growers realize that the greatest handicap OK
the citrus industry in the Valley is the freight rate
especially the rate to the eastern seaboard cities which
consume more citrus fruit per capita than any other
section of the United States. Florida demonstrated
very thoroughly the practicability Of water transport
for citrus fruit, and if the growers Of the Lower Rio
Grande Valley are to compete with Florida on the
eastern seaboard and European markets they must
secure rates which will compare favorably with those
Florida growers will have.
These are matters that deserve careful consioera-
ton by growers and business interests of the Valley
The Valley cannot afford to have the citrus industry
receive q setback such as fell to the lot Of the cabbage
growers the past two seasons. The fact should ne
taken into consideration that the time to prepare for
the heavy tonnage now assured Is before that tonnage
is ready for shipment. Deep water ports cannot be
developed in q few months. They require time and
money; and the Valley Is now in position where 1t can
not afford to waste a year or two waiting for a gem
srous government to give it a port