Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1930-06-29
MAKES LIVING
ON SIX ACRES
yan Benito Farmer Proves
Small Place May Bring
Good Returns

His claim that he makes a living
off fewer acres than anyone else
in The Lower Rio Grande Valley
is but one Of the several distinc-
tons which set ID. S. Stephens apart
from many OF the farmers IN this
section.
He also has the reputation Of
producing the largest eggs raised
In this community. OF keeping books
Oh everything Of using fertilizer
for all crops and OF having one %
the most diversified farms r. the
Valley.
Mr.. and Mrs. Stephens make a
comfortable living off six acres near
Lock Two southwest OF San Benito.
o. these six acres only four ana
ore-half are in cultivation. The
remainder II. In pasture land tcr
two horses which are noted for
their fat condition. or the cult
waited portion Of the land about
hllf an acre Is planted 70 grape
fruit and orange trees and the
remainder to various truck crops.
There are many persons who oTn
fewer acres in the Valley thar MI.
Astephens but they have other
sources OF income and are not de-
pendent upon the returns from
tier land for a living. Mr.. Stephens
hiss no other source Of income than
his six acres.
Started in 1909
Mr.. Stephens began farming IL
the Valley II 1903 when the volume
OF shipments Of fruits and veg
etables was not great enough 70
establish much OF a market ioI
these products II was q hard, tough
row to try To farm IN those days
and the few growers here 81 thaS
time attempted To solve the prob
lem by COINS IL together and max
Ing up carl0t shipments.
First crops planted on the farm
were sugar cane and onions. sugar
cane at that time was considered
ths coming money crop OF this
settion but il was destined 70 be
replaced by citrus fruits and truck
Mr.. Stephens has gradually gone
into farming on a diversified scale
anc he may decide 70 change crops
from season to season as ne GA
when ne first began.
Different crops bring high prices
from year 70 year and once ne
made a killing" with tomatoes
clearing $500 profit on y acre
Although the Valley soil Is rlcn,
Nr. Stephens IS a strong believer
IN fertilizer, studying his crops TO
furnish the particular element re-
auired for each. He purchases COM
mercial fertilizer for this purpose
All over San Benito Mr. Stephens
Is knoWn a. the man who mas the
Dig eggs. But the fact that his
chickens produce probably the
largest in this section is not an
accident by any means. He started
III six years ago with the idea ..
producing large eggs. Re cot n flock
az Black Minorcas and Rhode Is
land Reds.
Always Uses Best
'aTh- best always pays the big
aest dividends" Mr.. Stephens said
Tor the benefit 81 others enatsed
IN the poultry business. "Chlckehs
will eat any old thing but II you
feed them the proper things you
get better returns. ! buy al chick
en- feed"
Although Mr. Stephens started
with Rhode Islands Reds and Black
Minorcas he later switched TO Eng
lsh White LeghOrns culhng 10
keep the big egg strain pure. As
a result he became the first local
man TO sell eggs according 70 their
weight. He has two classes OF eggs.
one class including those weighing
~ to 26 ounces TO the dozen End
another 26 70 80 ounces to the doz-
en-. The standard eggs weigh "a
ounces TO a dozen. It is needless
to say that Mr.. Stephens gets E
premium for his eggs.
Figs. which do not grow well
everywhere in the VALVE, also have
been one az Mr.. Stephens most
reliable sources Of revenue. He SET
out some figs. a small blue variety.
along the fences in 1909 There
still are about 81 left and tn ~
year he cleared sl8015 from the
sale Of this fruit. The trees require
little care except occasional spray
ing.
Mr. Stephens keeps books on
everything and Is able 70 tell when
a crop Is not paving and should r.
cut out. He Ks e strong believer Id
keeping such records and thinks
rrnay farmers would be able 70
eliminate losses IN this manner
This bookkeeping has enabled him
70 discover that the fig trees are
yielding him the most constant re-
f1frrS.