The Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 39, No. 11, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 10, 1985 Page: 1 of 8
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KMfPW . Ji 41
RATTLERS
CONTINUE
WINNING WAYS
PAGE 3
VOL. XXXIX
-By KENNETH ROBERTS
~ Managing Editor
Starr County agricultural pro-
ducers are now carrying out a bold
experiment to see if good quality
peaches can be produced in sub-
stantial commercial quantities
here.
Robert A. Peterson, the general
manager of Starr Produce Com-
pany, said that his firm planted
£ close to 100 acres of peach trees in
late December 1983. He said Stan-
Produce is applying three new
varieties of peaches that can thrive
m warmer climates.
The three peaches being used in
this experiment are: Earli Grande,
Florida Prince, and Florida
Grande These peaches can thrive
with only 150 to 300 cold hours, or
hours below 45 degrees, while most
peaches need 800 cold hours to
0 flourish.
Starr Produce has planted 20-25
Ecres on four areas of farmland
which it owns: Laguna Farms,
Starrco Farms, Suntex, and Las
Puertas. Shuford Farms is
experimenting with peaches on a
smaller scale, and "Che" Guerra
and his family are planning to
plant 50 acres of peach trees in
Hidalgo County near Linn after
* Industrial Park
Campaign
Goal-
$200.(MM)
Pledged-
$140,000
i ■
*i*v* •
having planted some trees there in
1984.
Peterson said, "What enticed us
was having the land and the
water." James Peterson came up
with the idea of trying to grow
peach trees when he attended
Onion Field Day in Weslaco in
April 1983 with his father and
brother, David Peterson.
James Peterson said he was
impressed with the quality of
peaches produced by the experi-
mental station in Weslaco. Julian
Sauls, the Texas Agricultural
Extension Horticulturist, said the
three varieties were first planted in
Weslaco in 1980. He added that the
varieties were developed and re-
leased in Florida almost two
decades ago.
Robert Peterson said, "The
(Texas A&M) experiment station in
Weslaco has proven two or three
varieties of peaches that will grow
in this climate...We expect, in April
of this year, to have between five
or ten pounds of peaches per tree,
which is not much, but it'll give us
an idea of how they look, taste, and
whether they can be marketed
commercially."
Peterson added. "By the fourth
year, we should be in full produc-
tion with three bushels t'.50
LFD
CLEARANCE
SALE
PAGE 5
No. 11 Thursday January 10,1985
FIFTEEN CENTS
THE RIO GRANDE HERALD
Serving Starr County For Five Decades
Published In Rio Grande City, Texas, Every Thursday, By The Rio Grande Publishing Co
Growers Experimenting With Peaches
pounds) produced per tree...The
varieties we are planting will hit
the market in April or May, when
there's no production in the United
States."
Everyone involved in the project
expressed cautious optimism about
the experiment. Sauls was most
guarded, saying th?t availability
and production should be tremen-
dous while size and quality should
be good but not spectacular
Larry Sheerin, Starr Produce's
majority stockholder, said, "I'm
cautiously optimistic. It looks good,
even though we've had some
problems. It's still an experiment;
we're still going to college on this."
Everyone said "cotton rootrot" is
by far the worst enemy of peach
trees. Sheerin said this organism
"attacks everything, even mesquite
trees." Sauls said that a number of
peach trees planted in Weslaco
died from cotton rootrot Robert
Peterson termed the disease "a
soil-borne organism that tends to
kill trees."
Peterson said that a well-drained
soil is absolutely essential for
peach trees to flourish, because
"where water stands they will not
grow." Ross LaGrange said that
drip irrigation is the best way to
(Spp PEAC.HES, Pag? 4)
* %
e?~. sr- \
- >
Starr County agricultural producers hope that peaches will soon be produced in
commercially marketable quantities here. Pictured above is the peach orchard at
Laguna Farms.
mm
*
Crops Escape
F reeze Damage
The Arctic cold spell that visited
Starr County last week caused
problems for tender vegetation, but
overall, the freeze did not cause
serious damage to most crops.
Robert Peterson, general man-
ager of Starr Produce Co., said
that the freeze killed tender vege-
tables like peppers, tomatoes, and
cucumbers that were still in the
fields. But he said those losses
were negligible
Peterson said the lettuce crop
looks to be if good shape despite
some slight damage that could
show up later. The onion, cabbage,
broccoli, and celery crops weren't
hurt by the freeze, he said. These
crops, he said, "are more cold-
hardy"
The cold front hit Starr County
early on New Year's Day, dropping
.33 of an inch of rain. The weather
was very miserable Wednesday
due to the drizzle, cold tempera-
tures, and gusty winds Some
forecasters predicted sleet or snow
for the Valley, but the skies cleared
late at night and allowed the
mercury to fall to 32 at the
residence of Mr and Mrs Elder P
Wip
Friday morning was the coldest
as temperatures dipped below
freezing at 1 a m and stayed there
for almost seven hours. Friday's
low of 27 was recorded at 6 a.m
There was a light freeze on
Sunday morning as the mercury
(See FREEZE, Page6)
Fair Association
Meeting
Thursday
The Starr County Fair Associa
tion board will meet Thursday
night at 7 p.m at the County
Courthouse.
A Committee rhairpersons are also
encouraged to attend Those want
ing further information are urged
to contact Dr Roberto S. Margo,
Fair Association President, at
487-3623.
Rio Courses
Registration will take place Sat-
^ urday in Rio Grande City for two
^ education classes offered locally by
Texas A&l University.
The courses to be offered are
Education 590-Community Educa-
tion; and Education 5W-Adm Adult
and Community Education Regis-
tration will take place Saturday
from 10 to 11 am at the
Multipurpose Center Texas A&I
will also be offering courses in
Ediriburg and Falfurrias
• Persons desiring further in-
formation an urged to contact
Narciso Guerra at 487-5591.
extension 15
Pictured above are three t>f the latest donors for the new industrial park fund Shown ab< >e, left to right,
are Sam Vale, who gave JIU.fMM) for the Starr-Caniargo Bridge Co.; Roy Cantu, who give flO.OOO for the
First National Bank; and James V Mathis, owner of the Bio Grande Herald and a resident of Fdinburg.
With them is Bene Montalvo, the Foundation's executive director. "I think it imperative that businessmen
who live elsewhere and have businesses in Bio Grande City help in this drive," Mathis told the other two
donors. "Our businesses thrive if the vit> ind county grow It is only right that we put something back into
the community and the Rio ' vande Herald is glad to help where full community involvement is
necessary."
Foui lation Continues
Fund Drive For 1 *ark
Rio Woman Dies
From Burns
The Starr County Industrial
Foundation has made solid prog-
ress in the past week in raising
money to change title for the
Industrial Park site in order to
allow the construction of a yarn
manufacturing plant
As of Monday. Foundation Trea-
surer Milton Menking reports that
$46,932 09 has been collected This
includes interest accrued on the
deposits The fundraising campaign
was the focal point of two Founda
tion meetings the past week.
The latest contributors are: Mrs.
Howard Bass. $1000; Francisco
Guerra, on behalf of Rosita Gravel,
Inc., $5000; Amando Pena, $10,000;
James V Mathis .publisher of the
Rio Grande Herald, $1500; Sam
Vale, on behalf of Starr-Camargo
Bridge Company, $10,000; and Roy
Cantu. on behalf of First National
Bank. $10,000
Menking said that he and Vale
would be visiting McAllen this
week to talk to businessmen and
other citizens that own property or
otherwise have an interest in Starr
County.
He said that anyone v ith ques-
tions about the industrial park
project should contact any member
of the Foundation Board of
Directors or call the Foundation
office.
Menking urged citizens to rally
behind the campaign by saying,
"We're on the threshold of a really
good future We need to look to the
future and see the needs He
commended Foundation President
Sam Vale and Executive Director
Rene Montalvo for their work in
trying to attract the yarn plant
Menking said he believes Starr
ounty is knocking on the door to a
bright future in numerous areas
A Rio Grande City woman died
Saturday night in Galveston of
severe burns shp received Thurs-
day when her clothing caught fire
from a small portable gas heater
Alberta S. Vela, 79, was alone in
her house when the fire started
around 5 p.m Thursday. She was
rushed to Starr County Memorial
Hospital and treated in the
emergency room. After several
hours, she was transferred to John
Sealy Hospital in Galveston, where
she died at 10:20 p.m. Saturday.
Vela is survived by three sons,
Arturo of Allende, Nueve Leon;
Arnoldo, of Nipomo, California;
and Fidel, of Santa Maria,
California. Her four surviving
daughters are: Mrs. Felicia
Rodriguez of Mission, and Mrs.
Maria Del Pilar Pena. Mrs Emma
Cortez, and Miss Margarita Vela,
all of Rio Grande City
Vela is survived by 34
grandchildren and 42 great-
grandchildren.
Fire Causes Minor
Damage At Motel
EI Sauz Road Has
Interesting History
A fire at Bertha's Motel in Rio
Grande City caused minor damage
to a second story room above the
office Monday night.
Rio Grande City Volunteer fire-
men were called to the scene at
8 45 p.m. They arrived in time to
contain the fire to the mattress and
bedding
An activated smoke alarm went
off in the hall during the early
stages of the fire Chief O.F.
(.uffey said firemen were able to
respond rapidly to tike fire because
most of them had Scanner
Communications."
Annual Chamber
Banquet Upcoming
Paving of FM 3167, ot the El
Sauz Road, was finally completed
iast fall, but the highway has an
interesting and colorful hi-tory
behind it
That is the belief expressed by
Starr County Veterans Officer
Hornero Salmon and Dario Guerra,
quartermaster of the local VFW
Post 8526 They also say that the
convenience and safe'y of citizens
in the El Sauz area have been
greatly enhanced by the improved
road
The last stretch of highway, 5'i
miles from FM 649 southward, was
completed in the fall at a cost of
almost $1 million Paving on the
farm road had begun in the early
1970's northward from the junction
with U S 83, with the middle
tretch being paved in the earl\
1970s
As for the history, Salmon and
Guerra note the appearance of a
solitary gravesite just over two
miles south of El Sauz 7lte> say
that about 70 years ago, a man
named Gerardo Guerra was riding
a horse southward on what was
then a trail when thev apparently
came across a rattlesnake, which
(See ROAD, Page 6)
The Rio Grande City Chamber of
Commerce will hold their annual
banquet on Saturday, Jan 26 at the
Robert F Lee Motor Inn at the
Fort Ringgold Motor Inn.
Persons attending the dinner will
tie able to purchase tickets at $15
pe person This includes a dinner
and a free drink at the bar
Anyone wishing to do so can
n serve a complete table by
purchasing six tickets No seats
will be reserved for individuals or
groups less than six They will sit
at tables on a space available
basis However, all ticket holders
are guaranteed a seat For larger
groups one or more tables can be
purchased next to each other
Additional information can be
obtained by calling one of the
following numbers 487 2709 or
487 3024
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Roberts, Kenneth. The Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 39, No. 11, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 10, 1985, newspaper, January 10, 1985; Edinburg, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth194958/m1/1/: accessed April 24, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Rio Grande City Public Library.