Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-09-22
RECORDS Set
anew YEARLY
IN PRODUCTION
Total Of Over $4,000
Cars Reached Dur
ing Past Season; To
Expand Further


The dead Of winter i the har-
test a for the vegetable grow
ers Of the Lower Rio Grande Val
ley.
While snow and ice hold the
North in a relentless grip: months
before the northern farmers a TIL
their fields. Lower Rio Grande
Valley veget. lie growers are send
ing into the markets Of the North.
East and West an almost endless
stream Of vegetables.
Irrigated by waters from the Rio
Grande. thriving under the warm
rays Of the Valleys winter sun. and
drawing from the rich delta soil the
elements which go to produce fine
flavor and high quality. Valley
vegetables have attained a premier
position in the northern markets.
Each year has witnessed expar-
sion Of the industry as the demand
for the products Of the Valley truck
fields increased. Each year the pro-
fits from the crop have increased,
and the growing Of winter vege-
tables has reached the proportions
of a large industry in which all
sections Of the Valley participate.
Huge packing sheds have been
erected to replace the limited pack
ing facilities Of early days: thou
sands Of aci S OF fertile land have
been cleared for truck farming;
railroad facilities have been in
reaseG and extended; cultural and
irrigation practices have been in-
proved, and with each passing year
the fame Of Lower Rio Grande VAL
ley products has spread IN the
northern consuming centers.
Over $4,000 Cars Last Season
The RECORD Of the development Of
the winter vegetable industry has
heen one Of achievement. In twen-
Nv years shipments have increased
from 900 to $4,000 cars. each year
showing a gain in the moving
stream sent noIthward. The freight
movement Of vegetables over the
Missouri Pacific last season totaled
1870 cars, the Southern Pacific,
serving the newer developments
moving 5,486 cars. a total OF 22,3s6
Truck and express shipments
brought the total over $4,000 cars.
Principal gains in shipments last
season were in tomatoes. carrots,
beets and onions. though shipments
Of practically all commodities show
ed increases. Tomatoes by freight
totaled 1894 cars as compared with
1850 the previous scason Onion
shipments were more than double1
900 cars moving as compared with
377 the previous year. Carrot ship
ments total 1892 cars and 1891
in 1929: beets zoos as compared
with $50. and mixed beets and car
rots 1913. the record Of the previous
season being 1.135. Beets and car
rots totaled Sis cars. the heaviest
shipment Of these commodities ever
recorded from any winter vegetable
producing section.
Failure Of the cabbage market the
latter part OF the aso reduced
Valley shipments at least 1000 cars,
but despite this condition all rec
ords for shipments Of cabbage from
the Valley were broken with a total
of e.S92 cars as compared with o.
STA for the previous season. The
cabbage market during the early
part Of the season. when the ma
jor part of the crop was marketed.
was in excellent condition, but the
late market proved Disappointing.
ship Earliest Products
For several years the Lower Rio
Grande Valley has reached the
northern and eastern markets with
the earliest products. shipments
from this section almost invariably
getting under way from one 10 three
weeks earlier than from other pro-
ducing areas. March and April.
the months when fresh vegetables
are III greatest demand in the
northern markets. are the months
OF the heaviest movement from the
Valley. Shipments start in October,
but are comparatively light until
tie northern stocks in storage axe
consumed. Shipping records over
a reriod Of 20 years reveal that 81
per cent Of the vegetable crop is
moved in December. 10 per cent III
January, l6 per cent in February,
"a per cent in March. Is per cent in
April and Is per cent in May. Ship
ments continue TO the last of June.
the season closing on June 30 with
the exception OF q few shipments Of
special varieties.
Cabbage j. King
Cabbage has reigned as king o.
Lower Rio Grande Valley vegetables
since 1910, and production Of this
commodity has increased steadily.
In the early days of Valley develop
.nlent cabbage and onions were
Mactically the only crops. the 1907
Ds shipping reports showing l66
cars Of cabbage and 372 Of onions.
Cabbage shipments passed the H.
D0O-llr mark in l9l1-l2 when the
movement totaled 1918 cars. The
highest record attained. with the
exception Of last season was in
1924 when 6.5S2 cars we're ship
ped. Cabbage shis ments represent
an average Of 3 per cent Of the
Valleys truck crop.
Potatoes. which are grown princi-
pally in the lower part Of the VAL
lev in the Brownsville. San Benito.
Los Fresnos and Rio Hondo sec
tions. have become n Of the most
profitable crops. the major part I
the shipments being handled by the