Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-09-22

along the Valley Gulf coast have
followed a definite program. Point
Isabel, which for over a century
served as a port for the early set
tiers Of the Rio Grande Valley and
the sparse population Of northern
Mexico. is being developed as g
modern port city.
A navigation district has been
organized and bonds voted for the
development of the Arroyo Colo
RADIO as a waterway extending from
Harrington to Point Isabel. Sur
veys are now being made and eff
forts are being directed toward Sc
curing government aid on the
project.
Fourteen Irrigation Systems
Fourteen major irrigation systems
supply water for the irrigated farms
Of the Valley. the systems repre-
senting a total investment Of ap-
proximately SIS, 100000. Huge
pumps lift the waters from the
river, and it flows by gravity
through the main canals to the
distribution laterals. Like other
delta countries, the highest elera-
ton Is near the river, and the
lifts required vary from 10 feet In
the FL Jardin district east of
Brownsville to approximately so
feet at Mission at the west end OF
the Valley.
Great Improvement has been
made in the irrigation systems and
in irrigation practices IN recent
years. All the major systems OF
the Valley have been brought to a
high stage of efficiency, waste Of
irrigation water through improper
methods of application is rapidly
being eliminated, and the drainage
problem, which all irrigation areas
must eventually solve. is being TAX
en- care of III practically all sec
tons. The waters Of the Rio
Grande. laden with silt more fer
tile than that spread upon the
lands of Egypt by the historic Nile,
maintain high fertility on all VAL
ley lands. The entire Valley has
been built up by the silt from this
stream. and 5 fertility surpasses
that OF any other known region.
Use Of fertilizer Is unnecessary, an
advantage which has added 10 the
profits Of the Valley fruit and
vegetable growers who are mar
keting IN competition with Flor
ida and California. where the cost
Of fertilizer Is one Of the import
ant factors entering into production
costs. Tests of Valley soil have re-
peatedly proved that 1t contains
practically every element necessary
for the production of virtually all
crops, and its fertility almost in
variably results in yields which to
the northern or eastern farmer are
almost incredible.
See Future Prosperity
The pioneers Of the Lower Rio
Grande Valley, those who have wit
messed its transformation from a
brush-covered desert to a thickly
populated. highly productive and
prosperous region. realize that the
Valley has passed its initial de-
velopment stage and is now enter
ing upon an era of unprecedented
development. Practically all the
problems which confronted the
early pioneers have been solved
Transportation has been provided.
assuring excellent connections with
the great consuming centers TO
which the perishable products OF
the Valley are shipped; irrigation
systems, which in the early days
proved inadequate. have been
brought 10 a high state Of eff
cheney; the finest schools in the
South have been provided for the
Valley students. excellent paved or
well graded dirt highways now ira
verse every part Of the Valley. and