Gcioém 196d Types 0f Farming in Texas FARMING AREAS IN TEXAS High Plains Breaks High Plains and Prairies and Basins Grande Valley Plateau and Central Basin Plain Grande Valley . Coastal Bend West Cross Timbers . Grand Prairie . Blackland . East Texas Farming . East Texas Timber . Post Oak . Coast Prairie l-ll-III-ll-ll-ll-ll-ll-Il QU5U1|§CDN:—'@ M micuruucrl coma: or nus a rxmumrnr smnm Bolleg Station, Texas CONTENTS FOREWORD Foreword ....................................................................... -. 2 Introduction ................................................................ -. 3 Factors Influencing Texas Agriculture ................ .- 4 Physical Factors .................................................... -. 4 Soils .................................................................. .. 4 Topography .' ................................................... -. 6 Climate ............................................................ .. 6 Biological Factors ................................................ .. 7 Economic and Sociological Factors .................. -. 8 Markets ............................................................ .. 8 Transportation .............................................. -. 8 Labor ................................................................ .. 9 Land Tenure .................................................. -- 9 Number and Size of Farms .......................... -. l0 , Capital .............................................................. .. ll Land Use in Texas .................................................... .. l2 Distribution of Cropland .................................... -- 12 Cotton .............................................................. .. 12 Wheat .............................................................. -. 13 Rice .................................................................. .. l4 Corn .................................................................. .- 15 Grain Sorghum .............................................. .. l5 Oats .................................................................. .. 16 Barley .............................................................. _- 16 Peanuts ............................................................ .- l6 Forage Sorghum ............................................ .- I7 Hay .................................................................. .. l7 Fruits and Nuts .............................................. -- 18 Vegetables ........................................................ .. 18 Pasture ............................................................ -- l9 Distribution of Livestock and Production Trends .......................................... .. 19 Beef Cattle ...................................................... .. 19 Dairy Cattle .................................................... .- 20 Sheep ................................................................ -. 21 Angora Goats .................................................. .- 21 Hogs ................................................................ -. 22 Poultry ............................................................ .. 22 Horses and Mules .......................................... .- 23 Types of Farming and Type-of-farrning Areas .... .- 25 Types of Farming ................................................ .. 25 Type-of-farming Areas ........................................ .. 25 Area 1, Northern High Plains .................... -- 28 Area 2, Canadian Breaks ............................ .- 30 Area 3, Southern High Plains .................... .. 30 Area 4, Rolling Plains and Prairies .......... -- 31 Area 5, Mountains and Basins .................. .. 33 Area 6, Upper Rio Grande Valley ............ .. 34 Area 7, Edwards Plateau and Central Basin .................................. .. 34 Area 8, South Texas Plain .......................... _- 36 Area 9, Lower Rio Grande Valley ............ .. 38 Area l0, Coastal Bend .................................. _- 39 Area ll, West Cross Timbers .................... -. 40 Area 12, Grand Prairie ................................ _. 41 Area l3, Blackland ...................................... .- 42 Area 14, East Texas Farming .................... -. 44 Area 15, East Texas Timber ...................... _. 45 Area 16, Post Oak ........................................ -- 46 Area 17, Coast Prairie __________________________________ __ 47 Implications for the Future ...................................... __ 50 This publication is a revision of Texas i Bulletin 544, “A Description of the Agricult Type-of-farming Areas in Texas.” Drastic l» have taken place in Texas agriculture since when Bulletin 544 was published. The number of Texas farrns has decl”, percent since 1937, the farm population is w" half, the average size of the farm unit has d and there has been a substantial change in th of production and in the methods of opera the various crop and livestock enterprises. Some of the more important forces con to these changes have been the development of ‘ and machinery to make possible the mecha' of practically every fann operation; the ada" of airplanes for distributing seed, fertilizers, '2 cides and herbicides; hybrid plants and 1 It combine varieties of grain sorghum; artificial of crops; improvements in feed conversion; ..< ments in fertilizers and insecticides, fungicid other agricultural chemicals; greater use of el and refrigeration; many more farm-to-market g greatly increased employment opportunities I _ farm; and the shifting of many processing a keting functions from the farm to urban ce This bulletin reports the results of a s the differences in Texas agriculture which a :~ the efforts of farmers and ranchmen to ada’ operations to natural conditions of land and ~g and to economic conditions reflected in i»; prices. By studying these differences and _, them to the forces operating to produce th learn much about the agricultural problems I area and, consequently, of the total agricul the State. ~ The objectives of the study were to a (1) background information for more detail management research, (2) limits within w’ eralizations from other research may be made (3) a basis for orienting persons with Texas -_ ture, (4) information needed by agricultural _ and business firms for planning purposes and (g for teachers in acquainting their students A nature and variety of management probl fronting farmers and ranchmen. I For these purposes, Texas has been divi » l7 major areas, 8 of which are digided f ‘ give a total of 29 areas and sub-areas. The _' biological and economic factors that help A termine types of farming are discussed. Th bution and trends of each of the various alt uses of agricultural resources are reviewed, 5 of the 29 areas and sub-areas is described a i resources, the use of land, trends in the use types of farming and probable future devel Numerous maps, charts and pictures are used a better understanding of Texas agriculture; EXAS AGRICULTURE INVOLVES the production of a great variety of crops and livestock. This y diversity is related directly to wide differ- soils, climate and topography over the State. , factors largely determine the broad uses of _ cropland, woodland and pasture — and greatly i ce the crops grown and the kinds and numbers tock kept. iological influences, such as genetics, insect pests L" eases, are linked closely to these purely physical and modify their effects. The choice of pro- lines under these environmental limitations vuenced also by numerous economic factors, in- g transportation facilities, labor, available capi- credit and relative prices and costs, which ‘ine the profits of an enterprise or combination 4 , e individual producer’s aptitudes, personal g nces and circumstances determine, within the choice of production lines on an individual ‘v But for an area as a whole, these factors are y important as the physical and economic factors. anges in demand also cause changes in the , r tcrops grown and the animals produced. For ‘le, the substitution of vegetable oils for animal "r caused substantial modifications in the dairy a; enterprises. gvernment programs have played a large part rmining crop and livestock patterns during the 5 years. The expansion of industry in some ijalso has changed farming types substantially. apting production and production methods to gtural environment and to economic and social g is a continuous process. Physical limitations ~ given time may be offset partly or entirely at future date. For example, lack of rainfall may rcome through the development of irrigation. Zfypes 0/ Ehzrming in Za/as C. A. Bonnen. Professor Department of Agricultural Economies and Sociology Other limitations may be removed by improving the drainage, by land leveling, by clearing or by adding fertilizer. Technological developments which increase yields, improve quality or reduce the cost of a product often lead to readjustments in land use and in produc- tion practices. The most important development which has revolutionized Texas agriculture during the past 30 years is mechanization, which includes the all-purpose tractor, mechanical harvesting equipment, improved irrigation pumps and motors, the use of airplanes to distribute seed, fertilizers, insecticides and herbicides, plus the general availability to farmers of electricity and refrigeration. In addition, hybrid plants and animals, combine varieties of grain sorghum, artificial drying of crops, better quality commercial fertilizers, improvements in feed utilization, improvement of farm-to-market roads and more opportunity for off- farm employment all played a part. This publication is a revision of Station Bulletin 544, “A Description of the Agriculture and Type- of-farming Areas in Texas.” Presented herein are graphic illustrations of Texas agriculture supple- mented by sufficient discussion to give the reader a broad understanding of the varied lines of agricul- tural production in the State. The major factors that have influenced the development of Texas agriculture are first presented by graphics with explanatory dis- cussions. This provides the background for a series of charts with a discussion of the present geographic distribution and trends in production of the various crop and livestock enterprises. Then the State is divided into areas within each of which physical resources, farming systems and production practices are highly uniform. A brief description and explana- tion of each area is given with emphasis on the type or types of farming prevailing in it. creased from "498 to 630 acres. percent in 1954. Trends Have continued _ The trends described herein have continued since 1954. According tothe 1959 Agricultural . ensus, the number of farms in Texas decreased 22.5 percent, or a total of 66,000 of which 15,000 resulted from g change in the census definition of a farm. Farms have become larger, more spe- cialized and more dependent on off-farm sources of income than in 1954. The average size in- Farms reporting cattle decreased Z5 percent, milk cows 50 rcent, hogs 30 percent, chickens 40 percent, turkeys 50 percent and cotton 35 percent. Associ- i- ed with a 60 percent increase in the average value of farms, the number of owner and tenant- operated farms decreased, while part-owners and managers increased in relative importance. ‘Forty-three percent of all farms had more oft-farm than on-farm income, as compared with 38 physical factors that have the greatest effect 0n agri- their influence en the phYstealqatfiaPtatien cultural production in Texas. The size of the State Beeetuse 0t sPeettte btelegteal Characteristics a j (158,548,32() acres _ 253,514 Squaw miles ._ and an of growth, some crops are affected particular]; approximate span of 800 miles between its east and dfifpth and K€XU1T€ 0f U16 S0il, by itS plant fOOdg west and north and south extremities) produces wide by its water holding capacity or by the heig variations in these factors. water table. It is a question, howevenof; FAcToRs INFLUENCING TEXAS AGRICQLTURE Physical Factors SQiIS ‘a Soils, topography and climate are the three Soils atteet the tYPeS 0t farming matnll’, A - msr rms TDIBERLANDS i "ti?" ‘vitititititltl: 1313131“ Lewd ' "I;.,;.,;.;.;.;.;.;.,;;.;.=.::~ GENERALIZED sou. MAP OF TEXAS SOIL CONSERVATIQN SERVICE '; “° ..... .. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT or AGRICULTURE it“: Lufk , Edge 'r b In Cooperation With W mfms“ """"""""" ' ' l TEXAS AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION EZZQZE; Harris Galveston i » _ , H. 95g c _ colsr PRAIRIE _: f: §:§:§:f:§:§:§:f:§ :§:§:f:§:§:§:§:§$ l Hockley, Katy '3:1:1:?:3: 15:15:‘ ,-,-,-.-_.-_.-_ l e e o e o | e e c no Q u e o u n e e u A no Q e e e e e o e e a on \\Y Lake Charles, Edna, Bernard Miller, Norvood, Ple er \ ________ __ . ‘Q y I” W , it a .. \ .... . ................ _ \ W 6% o, Beaumont, Edna, Bernard “\\ --' I I I '23 I I I I I I u” / . -.-_ ‘an-a. o s \\ ‘ \ n - BLACKLAND PRAIRIES _- _ I -, ' \\‘:$\\“‘r“ ® Crockett , Wilson Houston Black, Houston, Austin ~.= ''''''''' ' ' Houston, Crockett éllujyyygflllly, ,,,,,,,,,,,,,, y, 53$», H y‘ W / ,, . lmlllllilllllll I Y’ / / l/II/ll/Illlfl“ l l ll I llllIIJIIJ/m .. l E - EAST CROSS TIMBEBS £5555: Edge, Bowie, Tabor e u e I 0 I e ...... t t ‘If t .. in... .. ' *- "Lm- . 35555555 I 0.0} an‘ Q‘ Z2? , . ::" i’ -====== ‘ 335555 , .:.::::::: G - WEST CROSS TIMBHIS Windthorat, Stephenville, Nimrod “ham Zapata’ y°"'°°°la §mm H _ NORTH CENTRAL "ARIES ' Maverick, Uvalde, Zapata ~\ I ll». .-'_-:-:-:-:;:-'-- - llllll l ' llllllllllllifllllllllllllll lllll ll l lllllllllIllllllllrr l, "will! kg? 7 wdllm “HHllllllllmwmllllllll; lg H; \ . »wm»mMm y, ::%%‘%%/ l! I l l l lII/l l l 1 \\\' Renfrow, Kirkland, _ w Hedi“ “use” l ~;-:-.;;=_=.-.= f. """" H Darnell, Kirkland, Renfrow and’ uebb’ Balm a - i 1 Goll ad Cl ill -_-_ . _ I _ CENTRAL BASIN _ Orel a, , arev e ’ . ;==__,,_._.- Lin: Victoria, Orelie. ,, W“ t $21-53, l n; lll 23:: Tiahomingo, Pontotoc ' ____ . _ $ Pademdes, Harley Bremen, Nuecee, Medic Lomalto, Point Isabel Abilene, Patti; lllllll "illwr, Hide-lav n - amn nuns ' ‘ N - TRANS-FEDS l/ y lf/"lll />:. lJl] H" 7/, Reeves, Reagan, Verhalen .- m Harlingen, Laredo Brewster, Fntor, Rough Stony Land _ TEA" w » : '1 555E hzllman, 1 ' x - anwmns FLA . Tivoli, Springer age actor 02mm Tobe“ ééfiég Dalhart, Vone y‘ Ector, Rough Stony Land T tn val’ \\ M91110: 7° "i, arran , era ' Brownfield, ‘ll ~ Figure l. Texas is subdivided naturally into l4 geographic areas on the basis of differences in surface features, rela i, types and native vegetation. These l4 areas are further divided into 45 sub-areas in which the soil series are closely a and adapted to similar use. than absolute adaptation. Almost any crop sand. A grain sorghum crop, however, can be planted some growth on any type of soil, provided and will mature after the end of the windy season. soil moisture is available, but certain crops do 0n a particular type of soil and for this reason in preference to others. For example, rice in Texas is concentrated on the flat, slowly soils of the Coast Prairie. Winter grains -season crops are grown rather than cotton A Sofbmay be 10W m fertlhty’ but If 1t has longseason Crops on the Shallow days and characteristics favorable to the use of commercial In parts of the Lower Rio Grande Valley, a high water table may bring salt into the root zone and injure or destroy citrus trees and affect seriously the production of other salt-sensitive crops. in North Cflltral Texaw On m‘, light fertilizers it may be highly prized for the production soils of W63‘; Texas grain SOrghum is grown of some specialty crop such as peanuts or watermelons. to wheat or cotton since the latter are The wide range in types of soil in Texas (Figure frequently during the spring by wind-blown 1) has had a marked influence on types of farming, 000 0 0 0 0 . O 0 ‘q 000 0 0 . . . . .. O I Q O OI U . . . . . I O O O C. 0 0 0 . 0 ‘ O ‘ 0 . 0 0 0 0 0 .0 0 0 0 0 00 0 0 0 0 0 O 0 ' . . . . . Q . Q . 0 0 0 0O I 0 0 O . ' . . . Q . Q O 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0O o0 QQQOO g0 0000' 0 0 0 0 . 0 . 0 . 0 0 00 ‘you 0000' 0 0 0 Q 9' Q O O O 3 . , , , Q o0 000.. 0 250 250 - s00 " 500 - | 000 " I000 - 2000 " 20003;-.-3000 " 3000"- 4000 " 4000 - 5000 " Over 5000 2. Range in elevation in Texas. For the most part, the State slopes from the northwest to the southeast dropping more than 4,000 feet in the Panhandle to sea level on the Coast. (Adapted from a map by J. R. Hill, U. S. Geo- Survey.) Figure 3. Average annual rainfallin Texas, 1931-55, ranged from more than 50 inches in Southeast Texas near the coast to less than l0 inches at El Paso. Adapted from Texas Agricultural Extension Service-Texas Agricultural Experi- ment Station Leaflet 232. as will be pointed out in the discussion of the agri- culture of each area. Topography The character of the surface of the land also affects the type of farming followed. The character of the surface may determine, to a considerable extent, the amounts of inter-tilled crops grown. Rapid run- off on sloping land results in the loss of valuable moisture and top soil and may force a particular type 300 3 Figure 4. Average length of the frost-free period ranges from about 180 days in extreme Northwest Texas to more than 300 days in the southernmost part of the State (U. S. Weather Bureau). a of cropping or increased terracing to minim' loss and the effects of erosion. Aside from the question of moisturean, control, there is the additional problem of the non-tillable land that results from an u. broken topography or from inadequate Large amounts of non-tillable land in a area force some farms to include livestock p‘ in their systems of land use. This in turn j affect the use of the tillable land on these Elevation is associated closely with to‘ Texas generally slopes to the south and rate of 5 to 6 feet per mile. All main strei in these general directions. The elevation r0 sea level on the coast to more than 4,000 fe northwestern part of the Panhandle, and l’ than 5,000 feet west of the Pecos River, Fi A The mechanization of agriculture has if greatly the importance of topography as a fa affects types of farming. Mechanization greatly increased the use of smooth, open pr‘, plains rather than the more rolling, hilly bered portions of the State for crop pr Consequently, cash crop production has and more concentrated in these open are farm operators in the other areas have turni production of livestock and livestock product ' off-farm employment. " Climate Climatic factors, particularly rainfall perature, largely determine the range of may be grown successfully in a given area. » somewhat effects the choice of cropping syst in total amount and in its seasonal distributi amount of rain which falls during the criticaé season is important in determining wheth: crops will be grown in many sections of Te i to-year variations in rainfall also are impor Average annual rainfall in Texas ran more than 50 inches in the southeastern ti. to Louisiana and the Gulf of Mexico to lei inches in the extreme western part, Figu Q: general, the amount of rainfall decreases and the variation from year to year becomi from the north and east to the south and _i example, at Longview, where the average a fall is more than 43 inches, the variability ', cent, whereas at Big Spring the rainfall avera 18 inches and the variability is almost 40 pe Rainfall affects crops by its seasonal dis by the rate of evaporation and by the runoff. The rate of evaporation, especia southern and western parts of the State, that much of the summer rainfall is onl effective. The amount of runoff is dete 7 the nature of the topography, by the text _, soil and by the vegetative cover. In years t, or above-average rainfall, much of the pre may come during one or two torrential-ty At such times, a large part of the moist 7 ff. Occasionally the rainfall from one storm i e annual average of that locality. uction limitations because of insufficient jor its poor seasonal distribution may be over- irrigation, provided water can be obtained liable cost. peratures affect crop production in many mainly through the length of the growing Figure 4. The average frost-free period ranges we than 300 days in the Lower Rio Grande about 180 days in the northwestern part of andle. In the forrnerarea, a great variety leis produced, ranging from citrus fruits and iefgetables to cotton, corn and grain sorghum. tter, the choice is limited for the most part wheat and grain sorghum. Very little cotton where the frost-free period averages less than The relationship between elevation and f frost-free periods is shown clearly in Figures y; average date of the last killing frost in the Brownsville in the southernmost tip of the January 30, Figure 5, and the first in the fall ber 26, Figure 6. In the northwestern part anhandle, the average date of the last killing ‘ii-the spring is April l5 while the average date t in the fall is October 20. The dates of the ylfirst killing frosts and the length of the grow- in vary greatly. For example, there is a e of 112 days between the shortest and the j:- station, the latest killing frost reported in g was 6 weeks later than the average and fest in the fall almost 6 weeks before the tjate. This wide variation in the occurrence _ t and last killing frosts and in the length ‘owing season is one of the greatest hazards nsitive crops. Often, early spring vegetables “toyed or their maturity delayed by late frosts. A)» northern fringes of the cotton belt, the iof cotton may be lowered substantially by ifrost, and a prolonged period of below-freezing I res may be disastrous. Such was the case When an unusually hard freeze in the Lower Q de Valley destroyed 85 percent of the citrus 98 percent of the citrus crop. Biological Factors ct pests, parasites and diseases affect the of agriculture through their effects on yields ,3: Insects may completely destroy a crop or ields below profitable levels during some fififlnot controlled; The cost of controlling arasites or diseases may discourage the pro- “of a particular crop or class of livestock. f development of a new variety or strain of ith higher yield, greater disease resistance or ilptation to mechanical harvesting may result t increase in the acreage of this crop at the 1%}; owing season reported at Brownsville. At A / F Figure 5. There is a difference of almost 3 months in the average date of the last killing frost in the spring between the northwest and the southernmost part of the State (U. S. Weather Bureau). expense of others. Grain sorghum is a good example. The development of combine types and the recent introduction of hybrids have resulted in making grain sorghum the principal feed crop of Texas and the Southwest. New varieties of cantaloupe have made that crop important in the Lower Rio Grande Valley and other parts of South Texas in recent years. The use of antibiotics and hormones to improve feed con- version in poultry and livestock plus the growing use of artificial insemination of livestock also have caused marked changes in the relationship of these enterprises to each other and to cash-crop production. 2O Dec l Figure 6. Average date of the first killing frost in the fall comes about 9 weeks earlier in the Texas Panhandle than it does in the Lower Rio Grande Valley (U. S. Weather Bureau). Economic and Sociological Factors Soils, topography and climate establish the phys- ical limits within which a crop or type of livestock may be grown. Whether the crop actually is grown or the extent t0 which it is grown depends on a number of factors the effects of which are felt largely through prices and costs. Market demands took prece- dence over home needs, and relative costs and returns became primary factors that influenced the choice of farm enterprises as agriculture changed from a self- sufficient home industry into a highly commercialized undertaking. Important economic forces that help to explain the kinds of agriculture found in various parts of the State include the size and nearness of markets, transportation facilities, availability of labor and capital, size of farms and land tenure arrangements. Markets A rapidly growing population and industrial growth and a related decline in the farm population have resulted in greatly enlarged local markets for farm products. The total population of Texas was estimated by the United States Bureau of the Census to be 9,493,000 on January 1, 1959. This represents an increase of 3,668,000 since 1930. The rate of population growth has been increasing in recent years, probably stimulated by World War II and postwar developments. Between 1930 and 1940, the increase was 10 percent and from 1940 to 1950, it was 20 per- cent. The present trend suggests that the total popu- lation increase from 1950 to 1960 will be approxi- mately 25 percent. A continuation of the present rate of increase would mean a total population for Texas of approximately 12 million by 1970. While the total population has increased, the number of people living on farms has decreased by STATE TOTAL - 7,7H,l94 IDOT EQUALS 2,000 PEOPLE FIGURES EQUAL NUMBER OF THOUSANDS Figure 7. Geographic distribution of population in Texas, 1950 U. S. Census. Two-thirds of the population are in the one-third of the State receiving 30 or more inches of rainfall. 8 more than half since 1940. In 1930, about ‘i: of ' the Texas population lived on farms f, present farm population is about 11 percei total. This trend is referred to sometimej rise of the cities.” It has been accompanied changes in the production and marketing; products. Production has become more i specialized while processing and marketing, formerly done on the farm have been shift towns and cities. This shift is so great part of the economic activity of these centers now is based on products originaff destined for use on farms and ranches. , these functions are many new services t around food products which formerly wt activities, such as fruit and vegetable can pre-cooked food. Approximately two-thirds of the Texas - r is located in that part of the State whic 30 or more inches of rainfall, and represents: one-third of its total area, Figures 7 and 3. the population in this area was 60 persons mile, as compared with 15 people per squar the rest of the State. A large portion of o _ resources, such as timber, oil, gas, sulphur, iron, are in this more densely populated pa tries also develop most rapidly and the markets are located here. It is in this pg; that most of our perishable products are ‘f See also Figures 28, 29, 32, 36, 37 and 38. bulky and perishable products of relatively?" value tend to be produced closer to marke bulky, perishable products which can H? cheaply long distances without loss in quah tendency has been overcome to a large l,” recent years through improvements in tra and methods of food preservation. ‘ Transportation , The development of transportation contributed greatly to Texas agricultural {If the early history of Texas, agricultural, moved to primary markets by crude rive overland by animal power. For example, cotton grown in North Texas were moved v- to Jefferson and thence to New Orleans by The cattle drive was an important 1i; chain of transportation development in Te a numbers of cattle had accumulated durin mediately following the Civil War. Prac only market for cattle was for their hides In the search for markets, cattle were dri west as California, as far east as Alabama, north as Montana. While the drive was‘; in the total movement of cattle for onlyf years, it is credited with saving the State ,_ ruptcy and with stocking the ranges of A Plains. ~ Railroad construction started in 1851 f: for the interruption by the Civil War durin 1860's, it spread rapidly to serve much ofa ; spread out from the main streams to the with the development of the railroad systems , response to broadening markets. However, ere being trailed out of Texas across Indian a t0 shipping points in Kansas and to ranches Northern Great Plains as late as 1890. A ck transportation accompanied by highway p" added flexibility to the transportation nd reduced the time products are enroute ts. Rapid means of conveyance supplemented eration have broadened markets for perish- greatly improved the quality of the products I; the market. Truck transportation over good has brought about many important changes ock marketing and lessened marketing costs “ areas. weather roads are more important to some farming than others. They are especially '- t to products which must be picked up or ‘a regularly and promptly, such as fluid milk, eggs and fresh vegetables. If labor supply is an important factor that e nature of farming. The availability of l“ labor in South Texas and across the Rio Mexico had much to do with the develop- gwinter vegetable production in that part of The relatively high ratio of population to the lack of other types of employment in red portions of the State tended to limit as to small-scale, intensive types of cotton, i and fruit production. pip-available supply of farm labor was greatly by the demands for military manpower with leak of World War II and increased employ- "expanded industrial centers. This demand trial labor continued during the postwar nd provided job opportunities for many iiployed farm people. a wage rates increased by more than 300 per- 'ng this time, while prices paid for all com- f; used in production, including machinery, v about 100 percent. The effects on agri- ave been spectacular. There are now less l. as many people on Texas farms, more part- ing and a greater dependence of farmers ,1 sources of income. In 1954, more than ,rm families in the timbered portion of East in the highly industrialized portion of the ' ie received more than half of their income I ces other than the sale of farm products. left the farms and farm labor became rela- priced and»; scarce, the remaining farmers “jnd to less ‘intensive uses or substituted and other forms of capital for labor. .-.~ are now used to a large extent for prac- 7 ry farm operation. It is expected that these l continue. Large amounts of seasonal labor ‘for weed control and cotton harvesting. As fr becomes scarce and relatively more ex- pensive, more machinery and chemicals will be used in these operations. An important factor contribut- ing to the rising cost of seasonal labor is the activity of the United States and Mexican governments on behalf of the Mexican Nationals who cross the Rio Grande each year for employment on Texas farms. There also is growing concern over the social condi- tions surrounding all transient workers and their families. Solution of these problems will tend to decrease the number of transient workers and increase wage rates. Land Tenure A noticeable relationship exists between tenure groups and types of farming. It is not always clear which is cause and which is effect. A number of historical developments have had a significant influ- ence on land tenure in Texas. Early land policies that featured large grants of land to individuals, corporations and institutions resulted in the-estab- lishment of many large ranches and landed estates. Although many of these tracts have been broken up into smaller ranches and farms, some of them remain. Fifty-two percent of Texas farms in 1954 were owner-operated, 21 percent partly owner-operated, 26 percent tenant-operated and less than 1 percent were operated by hired managers. Fifty percent of all the land in farms and ranches was owner-operated. Some of these owner-operators leased additional land which gave this group control of 72 percent of all the land in farms. - The importance of tenantry in Texas has paral- leled closely the rise and decline of the acreage planted to cotton. Both reached a peak around 1930 when tenants operated more than 60 percent of all farms and a third of all farmland. Tenants in 1954 operated less than 18 percent of the land in farms and ranches. Tenants are most numerous today in the principal cotton-producing areas such as the High and Rolling Plains and the Blackland. The amount of land operated by managers also reached a peak about 1930 and has declined since. In 1954, managers operated less than ll percent of all land in farms and ranches, as compared with 16 per- cent in 1930. Agricultural adjustment programs, rapid indus- trial progress providing off-farm employment, num- erous technological changes, particularly in the field of farm machinery, and the related increase in capital requirements for farming contributed to these changes in tenure. Rent payment by a share of the crop is the common method on farms producing cotton, wheat and general field crops. Cash rentals are most com- mon on grasslands and on lands that feature dairy production or specialty crops such as rice, peanuts and tomatoes. With the drop in cotton acreage and tenancy generally on the decline, both types of ar- rangements have decreased. Share leasing has de- clined much more than cash leasing. In 1930, share rent was paid on 71 percent of the tenant-operated 9 ...:‘- ‘\ 0 0. a 0 . ‘of’: . ’ ozooz‘. I a '. "%::n‘¢- \ ' 7 o" O 9 " I ' l0 I ' . o .0; .".::L°’;/ la 0O . ... 7 , ' g. 0o - I0 0 ."\ o _ , on. 'x§€.:o‘o_il ‘o’; .7 uq ‘. on...‘ n, STATE TOTAL - 276,843 I DOT EQUALS I00 TRACTORS Figure 8. Tractors on farms in Texas, 1954 (U. S. Census). The distribution of tractors is almost identical to the dis- tribution of harvested cropland (Figure 14.) Tractors and trucks have almost completely displaced horses and mules as the motive force on Texas farms. land, while in 1954 this type of payment was made on only 56 percent of such land. Number and Size 0-1 Farms Changes in the number and size of farms have been associated closely with the changes in tenure. Farm numbers decreased by more than 200,000 during 1930-54, from about 495,000 to about 293,000. During this same period, tenant farms, including croppers or half-hands, decreased from 301,000 to 76,000 and manager-operated farms from 3,300 to 1,900. The number of owner-operated farms remained about the same, while part-owners increased from less than 38,000 to more than 63,000. The average farm size increased in all tenure groups, the owner group by 21 acres, part-owner by 386 acres, manager-operated by 1,700 acres and tenant -1 -| . I ‘fit; 1° .'-|¢~___.'_. *‘.T-'-'=T i zs-f a": :5: | ' I."- _+1"'Fi=‘—$= I ' Xeifif/ J-lfi /' H" i. 1_i .1- STATE TOTAL - $228,083,128 I DOT EOUALS $200,000 . Figure 9. Cash paid for labor on Texas farms, 1 l’ Census). Despite substantial reduction in labor req 1, for the production of most crops and some lives labor remains the largest single item of farm ex by 203 acres. The average farm size alm0stl§ during 1930-54, from 252 to 498 acres. Th of farms smaller than l0 acres increased 7. since 1930. The farms in this group are la time and residential. Farms that range in 1 10 to 99 acres decreased 65 percent and ti A 100 to 259 acres dropped 42 percent. Th” of farmland and harvested cropland on decreased ‘even more. Significant increas l» the number of farms and in the amount of trolled occurred in size group from 260 While this group represented only 28 percei farm number, it controlled 87 percent of land and 71 percent of all harvested croplan Although farms have been getting larg, most Texas farms are comparatively small is measured in terms of the amounts of pr FABLE 1. DISTRIBUTION OF THE NUMBER OF FARMS, LAND IN FARMS, CROPLAND HARVESTED AN FARM BY ECONOMIC CLASS‘, U. S. CENSUS, 1954 Economic Number Per- Acres land Per- ACES Per- Acres class‘ of cent in farms cent cropland cent farms harvested T9131 1 13,198 4.5 52,090,147 35.7 6,700,604 26.8 3,950 2 25,688 8.8 31,944,894 21.9 6,095,775 24.4 1,244 3 31,406 10.7 20,471,378 14.0 4,637,346 18.5 651 4 40,154 13.7 15,685,056 10.7 3,666,251 14.6 391 5 42,846 14.6 11,343,593 7.8 2,212,838 8.8 265 6 29,099 9.9 4,612,148 3.2 765,112 3.1 159 All commercial 182,391 62.2 136,147,216 93.2 24,077,926 96.2 747 Part-time 45,530 15.5 6,006,401 4.1 682,837 2.7 132 Residential 65,167 22.3 3,801,494 2.6 209,074 .8 58 Abnormal 64 128,330 .1 47,245 .2 2,005 ‘Value of products sold (1) $25,000 or more. (2) $l0,000-$24,999. (3) $5,000-$9,999. (4) $2,500-$4,999. (5) $l,200'$2,499.7 $1,199, provided the operator worked off the farm less than 100 days or provided the family’s income from outside so ' than the value of farm products sold. l0 - $74,344,297 $l00,000 '/I '9 Cash paid for machine hire on Texas farms, Census). Machine hire includes custom opera- in turn include substantial amounts of labor. than 5 percent of all farms sold products or more, while 76 percent reported $5,000. About half of the latter group or residential farms and all of them $1,200 worth of farm products in 1954. relationship between physical size and of sales is shown in Table 1. The three of the farm number and had control of of the land resources, whereas all other part-time and residential, had at their remaining 30 percent. Part-time and - 220.154.0119 s s 200,000" Cash paid for feed on Texas farms, 1954 (U. S. principal types of feed purchased are mixed supplements and hay. In total, feeds rank among farm expenditures. sales of $5,000 or more made up only STATE TOTAL - l04,BO2,293 I DOT EOUALS Sl00,000 Figure l2. Cash paid for fuels and oils on Texas farms, 1954 (U. S. Census). Farmers are large users of fuels and oils. Petroleum products are the source of the greater part of power used on Texas farms. residential farms accounted for 38 percent of all farms and operated only 7 percent of the farmland and 3.5 percent of the harvested cropland. Capital Capital requirements for farming in Texas rose sharply during and after World War II. Rising land values, larger farms and increased dependence on machinery and other forms of capital account largely for the increase. sun: 101m. - a0,a|s,|00 ' 0 I DOT EOUALS $50,000 "P57? / ‘f Figure l3. Cash paid for commercial fertilizers on Texas farms, 1954 (U. S. Census). Commercial fertilizers were used on more than 4.5 million acres of crops in 1954. Principal crops fertilized are hay and pasture crops, cotton, corn, rice, fruits and vegetables. ll The value of land and buildings per acre more than trebled during 1940-54, and the value per farm increased from approximately $6,000 t0 more than $29,000. For commercial farms, the average value of land and buildings was more than $42,000 in 1954. This excludes part-time and residential farms. Data are not available t0 show the amount in- vested in machinery and other forms of capital, but the number of tractors rose from approximately 99,000 in 1940 to about 277,000 in 1954, Figure 8. Motor trucks increased from 57,000 to 190,000 and all types of machines increased in size, complexity and unit cost. The combined annual expenditures for hired labor, feed, fuel and fertilizer in 1954 was $585 million, as compared with $121 million y, Figures 9, l0, 11, 12 and 13. All indicati to a continuation of these trends since. 19 _ . increase in capital requirements has resul higher degree of specialization in the prod most agricultural products. Specialization r; number of machines needed and permits thf to make more efficient use of th_e machine T A growing number of farmerslliave kept y, investment in machinery by employing othe form some operations on a custom basis, ;7 High capital requirements partly expla’, cent growth of owner and part-owner opt farmland and the shift away from tenantry. LAND v UsE_ 2 11v TEXAS The 1954 census shows 145,812,733 acres, or 86.5 percent of the total land area of Texas, are in farms and ranches. The remainder is woodland not in farms, parks, military land, highways, cities and stream beds. Approximately 25 percent of the farmland, or 36,659,302 acres, is classed as cropland, 73 percent as pastureland and less than 1 percent as woodland not pastured. The balance of slightly more than 1 per- cent is in farmsteads, farm roads and wasteland. Approximately two-thirds of the land classed as cropland was harvested in 1954, about one-fifth was used only for pasture, and the balance was neither harvested nor pastured (idle, fallow or crop failure) . Eighteen percent, or about 4.5 million acres of the harvested cropland, was irrigated in 1954, Figure STATE TOTAL - 4,707,028 I DOT EOUALS l0,000 ACRES Figure l4. Distribution of irrigated land in Texas, 1954 (U. S. Census). The acreage of irrigated land increased from 798,000 in 1930 to 4,707,000 in 1954. Most of this in- crease was from ground water on the High Plains and in the Trans-Pecos region. 12 14. An additional 200,000 acres of pastur,’ were irrigated. i Crop production is concentrated large smoother portions of the plains, the prairi, larger river bottoms, Figure 15. This con ' has grown with increased use of irrigation l, the trend toward large scale, mechanif _ operations. 1 Distribution of Croplcmd Cotton ii Cotton continues to be the leading Texas, despite a greatly reduced acreage The value of cotton and cottonseed has ex value of all other crops sold during the years. It also has exceeded the value of all! STATE TOTAL’ 24,885,000 ACRES I DOT EOUALS 10,000 ACRES Figure 15. Distribution of the harvested cropland, , 1954 (U. S. Census). There has been a prono i, of the acreage of harvested crops from the natur sections to the more fertile open prairies and -: from dryland to irrigated land. products sold. Cotton accounted for if the total acreage of crops harvested in zgreatest concentration of cotton acreage Jigh and Rolling Plains, the Blackland, end and the Lower Rio Grande Valley, fter World War II, the acreage and cotton increased in the irrigated areas in the dryland areas. The shift in ations has been more pronounced be- fprelatively higher per-acre yields of irri- For example, the three areas that had in the irrigated cotton acreage produced f the Texas crop in 1954, as compared int in 1944. During this same period creage was from 24 percent of the total percent in 1954. Drouth and the lift- r allotments during the war and postwar ere important factors in these shifts. Civil War, the cotton acreage rose fuously until 1914, leveled off during {I and then rose sharply to its all-time 18 million acres in 1926, Figure l7. j} 'od, the trend generally has been down- ltural adjustment programs, the scarcity during the war and prolonged periods Ive been important contributing factors. this country from a debtor to a creditor “World War I was the basic cause. Be- ijchange, dollar exchange became scarce‘ ntries which made it diffiCult for them four surplus cotton. The strong com- ; lion of cotton relative to other field crops by the extent to which the acreage re- . acreage allotments are suspended. liarly 1937, the late l940’s and during ‘lr- . .,. ~11 - 4-year period (before acreage control j_l929-32, to the recent 4-year period of ol programs, 1954-57, the average of the harvested annually in Texas decreased Mile production dropped only 15 percent. ,1 farms reported the production of " of cotton in 1929. In 1954, with only reporting cotton, the production was es. Thus less than one-third as many uced almost as much cotton in 1954 as in 1929. The production per farm gbales in 1929 and 28.2 bales in 1954, an year. Per-acre yields have doubled since i-resulted from the selection of the best tton, from using more fertilizer, from fore cotton land and from the shift of guction to“ more productive areas. For cotton acreage in 24 Northeast Texas a‘ 958 was less than 5 percent of the 1928 "reas in the Lower Rio Grande Valley ircent and on the High Plains 135 per- EJIFQ28 acreage. int of irrigated land increased from less ton acres in 1929 to 4,700,000 acres in _ ‘if '~‘+ 8TATE TOTAL‘ 7,513,763 ACRES I DOT EQUALS 5,000 ACRES Figure 16. Distribution of cotton acreage harvested in Texas, 1954 (U. S. Census). Most of the acreage is concen- trated on the smooth, open prairies and plains and on the bottomlands of the larger streams. 1954. Much of this increase occurred on the High Plains where cotton is the principal crop irrigated. Wheat Wheat ranks next to cotton and grain sorghum in importance in Texas cropping systems. In 1954, MILLION ACRES I900 05 IO l5 20 25 3O 35 40 45 50 55 80 Figure 17. Trends in the acreage of the major crops grown in Texas, 1900-59 (Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA). 13 STATE TOTAL'3,l79,778 ACRES I 00T EQUALS 5,000 ACRES Figure 18. Distribution of the wheat acreage harvested in Texas, 1954 (U. S. Census). Most of the wheat is produced on the High and Rolling Plains and on the upper parts of the Grand Prairie and Blackland. wheat occupied about 13 percent of the harvested cropland. In addition to providing cash income from the sale of grain, wheat makes a substantial contri- bution to livestock production by providing fall and winter grazing for cattle and sheep. The wheat acreage is concentrated largely on the clay and clay loam soils of the High and Rolling Plains, Figure 18. A minor concentration exists on the Grand Prairie and on the northwestern part of the Blackland. Most of the wheat produced in Texas STATE TOTAL- 607,639 ACRES I DOT EQUALS 5,000 ACRES Figure 19. Distribution of rice acreage harvested in Texas, 1954 (U. S. Census). Rice production is confined entirely to the Coast Prairie. Rice acreage reached an all-time high in 1954. l4 \ is grown in the northwestern part of the Sta the average annual rainfall is below 30 in, varies sharply from year to year and duringfii year. As a consequence, much of the acrea » harvested some years. The average am.’ harvested during 1948-57 was 40 percent of y seeded acreage. Production ranged from 14s bushels in 1955 to about 90 million bushels? 4* During a period of almosit=5”0 years befo War I, the wheat acreage harvested in Texas j a million only three times. During and m; World War I, it more than doubled. The»; wheat acreage harvested generally was upw_ the middle 1920’s until 1950 when acreage a and drouth greatly reduced it, Figure 17f factors contributed to the increased impo wheat. Wheat is a low labor-requirement. which growers turn quickly during warti n: when prices are high and labor scarce a The introduction of small combines and the)". ment in tractors and other machinery aft War I greatly improved the competitive p, wheat and resulted in its rapid expansion in R risk areas. The peak of both acreage and occurred in 1947 when 7,300,000 acres and l2; bushels of wheat were harvested. Rice , Almost 28 percent of the 1945-54 rice; the United States was produced in Texas. duction is confined almost entirely to the if Prairie lands where slowly permeable w; readily available water resources permit e irrigation, Figure 19. Although production is highly special' part of a broad rotation system involving p cattle. Generally speaking, rice is grown 1 ” . 1. Lpz. l I ' . ,_ .,.r._.., .@_. a r 4 3 l -,¢¢}§=p tummy ‘Ifqv Q; ACRES . .-v—-i""" > M I L L l0 N é P‘ Z>- " W. w. warm w‘ -. wwwqnnm '»-;-s-@~ r~ N .\ ~‘\ 3 I \ I L. ll j a z o Q | ll \\ \ I x ‘l ‘x \ ,5. ,. — . vngnl Mo: f rnnln -\ .' k barley-l I910 I5 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 ‘ 1:. _ . - . , . . __ .. -~5""-¢- "'-"""'-' \ .~_ 1.4-‘; x" l Lfik J Figure 20. Trends in minor crop acreage grown , 1910-59 (Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA, g Census). land is pastured 2 to 4 years before it is A to rice. During this time, cattle benefit carry-over effects of the fertilizers applied Often one operator grows the rice while idoes the ranching. production in Texas is largely a develop- p; the Twentieth Century. The 1890 Census p lture lists 178 acres of rice scattered through QTeXas counties ranging from Wood county ‘girth to Jefferson county on the south. These apparently were experimental and most of ities listed no longer grow rice. By 1900, the ge increased to about 9,000. From 1909 1936, rice was harvested from 150,000 to cres, production being limited by the supply jon water. Since 1935, the area in rice rose nstantly until it reached an all-time peak s! acres in 1954, Figure 20. This period of resulted from the increased demand for s-grown rice caused by wartime disturbances Y ient and to increased supplies of irrigation streams and wells. “ddition, there have been some significant 'cal developments such as drying and bulk improvements in fertilization and weed fethods, improved varieties, the development lopelled combines which permit harvesting 7 ;'elds and the adaptation of airplanes for Ion of seed, fertilizer, insecticides and herbi- 4 he reinstatement of acreage allotments in was only 417,000, or about 66 percent g 54 acreage. ._ y occupied about 7.5 percent of the harvested _ i_n 1954. Most of the crop is grown on the _, the Coast Prairie and on the sandy lands tof the Blackland, Figure 21. Very little own west of the 30-inch rainfall belt. In Eost two-thirds of the corn crop was fed on ere grown. l corn acreage harvested rose steadily with acreage until 1900 when it leveled off at million acres, Figure 17. It fluctuated near until the beginning of World War II when ‘type sorghum was introduced. Since the :9 corn acreage has dropped steadily despite gf corn hybrids. The acreage harvested in i, the smallest since 1875, and was only a third formally harvested before World War II. displacement of animal power by mechanical greater drouth resistance of grain sorghum, Klower cost zifnd" greater ease of harvesting, itributed to this trend. Sorghum is harvested f; same machines used in the harvesting of "ns, whereas a special machine is required to yrn mechanically. The extra operation of is necessary when corn is grown as a cash grsed the trend, and by 1959 the harvested -+~’r—+~f —-—i—+~l—+ —"+++-l' TTlTJT-IT 1T" 7L++~L+N —1-+++++~r+1 ' . - 1 , |.;_...-,\-,-., '_ , ~l-++-l-+++++*‘r"t"1?.=*-'T;"I-.~' - -a--.-+++++++wa+a:z¢=t,ztviige- -—f++—l—+++ 1" I yr. ‘kjééga’: ‘Tat-f. l J. .':\¢. . o. . flit/wk?‘ '/o I. .. T f2?" ' ' snrre rorat- 1.005.092 ACRES —1__+_|T n/ l ‘ / | 001 squats 5,000 ACRES ‘Pk- » Y Figure 21. Distribution of corn acreage harvested for grain in Texas, 1954 (U. S. Census). Most of the corn is grown in that part of the State having more than 30 inches of rainfall. With the recent introduction of sorghum hybrids there appears to be little chance that corn may regain its former position as the leading feed grain crop in Texas. Grain Sorghum Sorghum harvested for grain, accounting for 22.5 percent of the harvested cropland in 1954, has re- placed corn as the State’s principalrfeed grain crop. It has become also an important cash crop. Almost 89 percent of the l32-million-bushel crop reported in 1954 was sold from the farms where produced. Grain sorghum production is highly concentrated on the High Plains and in the Coastal Bend, Figure 22. It is increasing in importance on the Rolling Plains, the Blackland and in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. Grain sorghum was introduced to Texas just before the turn of the Twentieth Century. The first mention of the crop is found in the 1900 Census of Agriculture where 19,576 acres were reported as har- vested in 1899. The early history of the crop is closely related to the development and expansion of crop farming in West Texas. In 1919, almost 1.5 million acres were harvested for grain. Production rose slowly until the early 1»940’s when combine types that per- ' mitted the complete mechanization of the crop were introduced, Figure 17. The introduction of hybrids after 1954 has further improved the competitive posi- tion of grain sorghum. Grain sorghum is the principal alternative use of diverted cotton acreage and, to some extent, of diverted wheat acreage. Figure 17 shows the inverse relationship between cotton and grain sorghum acre- ages from 1949 to 1957. There were no restrictions on cotton acreages in 1949 or during 1951-53. As long 15 STATE TOTALw &620fi95 ACRES l DOT EQUALS 5.000 M353 Figure 22. Distribution of grain sorghum acreage harvested in Texas, 1954 (U. S. Census). The main sorghum areas are the High and Rollings Plains, Blackland and the Coastal Bend. as cotton and wheat acreages are controlled at present levels, the acreage of sorghum harvested for grain Wlll remain high. Further increases could result from the higher yield potential of sorghum hybrids. Oats I Oats were harvested for grain in 1954 from 1,403,682 acres, or from 5 percent of the harvested cropland. An additional acreage is seeded alone and in mixtures for fall and winter pasture and for hay. Much of the acreage harvested for grain is grazed during the fall and winter. STATE TOTAL- 1.403.682 ACRES I DOT EQUALS 5.000 ACRES Figure 23. Distribution of oat acreage harvested in Texas, 1954 (U. S. Census). Oat production is largely concentrated on the Grand Prairie and Blackland. 16 Most of the oat crop is grown on the more clay and clay loam soils in North Central Te +1; the greatest concentration on the Grand Pr in the northwestern part of the Blackland ~ outranks wheat among the close-seeded crop 7 k 23. Oats also are an important crop in the? parts of the Rolling Plains and the Edwards Oats and wheat followed about the and were harvested from about “the same acres until the mid-l920’s when the small and the all-purpose tractor were introduced , great expansion of wheat production on y Plains began. With few exceptions, the oat harvested for grain has fluctuated between million since World War I, Figure 17. Du s. time, the acreage harvested has never been i as 2 million and has been below 1 million a times, four of which occurred during and aft War II. The trend after World War II slightly downward, mainly because of insectf and drouth. i Barley The barley acreage harvested has seldom l percent of the total harvested cropland. y barley was harvested from 129,000 acres. It in the same general areas as wheat and oa on the clay and clay loam soils of northwes North Central Texas, Figure 24. The acrea ates widely from year to year with moisture j and with acreage restrictions on wheat. On I Plains, it is used primarily as a catch crop diverted from wheat or land on which wheat because of the lack of fall and winter moistu wheat producers prefer barley to grain sorgh land on which it is grown may be returned If, in the fall. Interest in barley has increasi area adapted to small grains, probably beca _' introduction of new and better adapted va to restrictions on wheat and cotton acreage, l, Peanuts Peanuts were harvested for nuts fro t? acres or slightly less than 1 percent of the i cropland in 1954. All peanuts grown in of the Spanish type. Peanut production is largely to the light sandy soils which receive of rainfall or more. The more important p!“ areas are in the West Cross Timbers and on Texas Plain south and west of San Antonio, i In addition to the acreage harvestedfor 5O to 60 thousand acres of peanuts were ;- other purposes. The vines from more than ‘Q of the acreage harvested for nuts in 1954 for hay. Most peanut growers use hogs to sal, left in the field in harvesting operations yields are too low to be harvested profitabl Except during World War I, the acrea nuts harvested in Texas remained below l0 1927. Since then it has not dropped w, figure. The acreage rose steadily to more th I I.‘ ‘ I . Jfilrfli? +Q%¢i#-%fi+-, wffi‘ _. -1 ,’ - nzepos ACRES ACRES Distribution of barley acreage harvested in f (U. S. Census). The barley acreage is distributed R ghout the wheat growing areas (Figure 18). gig-World War II. During the period 1942-48, of 786,000 acres were harvested. Since that ich included the war and the immediate jriod, the harvested acreage has declined prewar level. The average acreage har- g 1954-58 was 290,000, 0r about 37 per- average acreage of the 1942-48 period.- i to acreage allotments and drouth have ost important factors in bringing the acre- near peace time levels. growers turned to combine harvesting War II in response to rapidly rising This served to improve the competitive peanuts in relation to the other crops that p: to the light sandy soils. hum ifarmers harvested 1,784,000 acres of forage I954, or 7.2 percent of all harvested crop- ll percent of this acreage was used for the rest for dry forage. Sorghum is the j orage crop throughout the western and ts of Texas, Figure 26. It is important southern part of the Grand Prairie and nd. ‘Ase of sorghum for forage has decreased _ginning of World War II. The rising r, failure to mechanize the handling of , the ease “of harvesting sorghum for grain troduction’; of combine-type varieties and ,ward specialized production of many farm jve contributed to the decrease in forage L oduction. , fie of sorghum for forage reached its peak ignore than 4 million acres, Figure 20. The _eage seems to have leveled at about 2 , ++fxI | IF” "'1 | TLTL? Yliilrfixfji“ L. . a +fi%%?€/pgf STATE TOTAL - 234,040 I DOT EOUALS I,OOO ACRES Figure 25. Distribution of peanut acreage harvested for nuts in Texas, 1954 (U. S. Census). Peanut production is concentrated largely on the light sandy soils. million. The improvement of pastures through clear- ing, seeding and fertilizing is meeting part of the forage needs. Hay production has increased and large amounts of hay are shipped into Texas to meet some of the forage needs. Hay Texas farmers harvested about 1,500,000 acres of hay other than sorghum or annual legumes in 1954. Hay accounted for 6.2 percent of the harvested crop- it ++l 44!? +¢@¢ .:_'_'._, _..~... '. . jlT‘i—+j'l-.l._.'-| . . - - f; -_'. ET fflf ff; 1"‘ A .. —++@+4++i++a1KFi» , , 4+, STATE TOTAL" l,784,459 ACRES I DOT EOUALS 5,000 ACRES Figure 26. Distribution of forage sorghum acreage har- vested in Texas, 1954 (U. S. Census). Forage sorghum is the principal source of roughage in those areas in which grain sorghum is the principal grain crop (Figure 22). 17 l l l + + J +11.“ ' ++#+++ ++"+%H:% _1~+—1_ Mei we fr k STATE TOTAL‘ l,508,975 ACRES IDOT EQUALS 5,000 ACRES Figure 27. Distribution of hay acreage harvested in Texas, 1954 (U. S. Census). Hay is an important. crop on the Blackland, Grand Prairie and in the irrigated sections of the west. land. More than one-third of this acreage was grown on the Blackland, Figure 27. Alfalfa made up about one-fifth of the total hay acreage, but accounted for more than two-fifths of the hay production. Most of the alfalfa crop is produced on bottomland and on irrigated farms in the western part of the State. Other important hay crops are small grains, Johnsongrass and wild hay. Of the annual legumes, the only im- hall- —a»~l1= “TLr lr heirs-e filf TTILTLYK, o ~++~»+++~e+#n».v,»~, r - T cw’ -+++++e+.%#w:E%@' +++#++Y+¢Cs;f»?f lWjfj#Ql<§eZ~;iS/1~&Q “l? . eI’,@,*1.*1*:.?:;:/g’ sun: TOTAL - $2,181 Acnes TL-f-JT "/ ! lrk_ l | not counts 50o ACRES 1J1. .1.» l-Jr‘ l / .-' ' ' l nnontso counrv .-=; 40,511; ACRES Figure 28. Distribution of fruit and nut acreage in Texas, 1954 (U. S. Census). Citrus fruits are limited almost entirely to the Lower Rio Grande Valley. Pecans are grown mainly on the bottomlands of Central and North Central Texas, while peaches and plums are grown mainly on the sandy lands in the northeast quarter of the State. 18 f A crop of 6,500,000 boxes is indicated for ~ the opportunity to replant their orchards portant crop is peanut hay made from the the peanuts are harvested. f With the development of the pickup _ other labor-saving equipment, hay has in importance on Texas farms, Figure 20. Th harvested did not exceed a million until I first year of the agricultural adjustment e Although fluctuating widely with weather the acreage harvested has “rernained well million for the past 25 years. The aver during 1955-58 was 1,857,000. Fruits and Nuts The acreage of fruits and nuts is largely pecans, peaches, plums and pears. Citrus is located mainly in the Lower Rio Gran pecans along the streams in Central Texas on the sandy soils of Northeast Texas and Cross Timbers, Figure 28. The 1954 acreag and nuts was less than half of the 1949 acre 5-year interim between these dates was a f one for fruit and nut trees. The extrep freeze in 1951 and the continuing drouth of? l950’s greatly reduced the numbers of all; trees. The number of pecan trees decreased’ and citrus trees 60 percent between 1949 The full extent of the damage to the citru” _ is reflected in production. The combined of oranges and grapefruit was only 500,000. y 1951, as compared with the peak prod 28,800,000 boxes in 1945. Recovery has m ' SCEISOH. Some benefits resulted from this grei in the citrus industry. Producers took ad varieties. It also permitted the shift of 0% more favorable locations. Citrus growers - ing the industry on a sound physical base. y Vegetables .5 Texas farmers harvested and sold $_ worth of vegetables from slightly more thi acres in 1954. These figures include all i‘ other than Irish and sweet potatoes. the order of acres grown, the more impo i table crops were watermelons, tomatoes, i, green peas, carrots, cantaloupes, cabba spinach and snap beans. Most of thefi" acreage is in South Texas with the great tration in the Lower Rio Grande Valley 1v; tically every type of vegetable is grown, Other important centers of vegetable prod the Winter Garden area southwest of Sa; and the Coastal Bend. There is a signifi ing of vegetable production, mainly wag tomatoes, southern peas (blackeye) and pe the sandy-land portions of Northeast Te i potato production is concentrated in the p of the State. 7 p acreage of vegetables harvested in Texas fairly steadily until World War II, then i fly during the war and decreased moderately War’s end, Figure 20. However, the amount used for vegetables has remained well above f ar acreage. It is expected to resume an ftrend with the increase in population and oyment of more of the population in more 5, occupatlons. ‘it of all land in farms and ranches in Texas land (112 million acres in 1954). A large grazing is obtained from stubble fields winter grains. The relatively large amount e has made Texas the leading state in the gn of cattle, sheep and goats. lie pastures differ greatly in types of vege- Al» in carrying capacity. In addition to many gfggrasses, Texas pastures contain a large 1 woody vegetation. The 1954 Agricultural its almost 19 million acres of woodland gThe Soil Conservation Service estimates that half of all native pasture is infested by Oak brush, particularly the live-oak and in the Edwards Plateau and Grand Prairie, Qaluable browse for all types of grazing live- serves mainly as the basis for the Angora , rise from which more than 95 percent of . types of noxious brush have spread gradu- ickened until its eradication and control I a major problem on many ranches. gang capacity of a pasture is related closely About 75 percent of the native pasture- f that part of the State receiving less than 30f rainfall. About two-thirds of all crop- , e is in the more humid part of the State. grecently there has been little effort toward provement despite the importance of graz- agriculture of Texas. Past efforts, such fencing of ranches and the addition of ilaces, have been aimed at obtaining more tilization of existing forage. Since World re effort has been directed toward pasture 'nt. Research by the Texas Agricultural t Station indicates that production from n be increased substantially by improving jctices, by controlling noxious plants, by lopment, by fertilizing where rainfall war- _ by reseedilrlg with superior varieties of ge plants. i "a owing scarcity and cost of farm labor has eased interest in the State’s grazing re- creasing the productivity of these resources , qone of the better opportunities for improv- fincome in Texas. i1 .3 ting cropland used only for pasture, almost‘ in the United States is produced. Mesquite . STATE TOTAL‘ 403J97 ACRES IDOT EOUALS LOOO ACRES / I ouurv HIDALGO c 92,063 ACRES Figure 29. Distribution of vegetable acreage harvested for sale in Texas, 1954 (U. S. Census). Vegetables for sale are important crops in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, Coastal Bend, parts of the South Texas Plain and in parts of the East Texas Timberlands. Distribution of Livestock and Production Trends Livestock plays a large part in land use in Texas. In 1954, almost 80 percent of the land in farms and ranches was grazed or used for. the production of forage crops. When the acreage devoted to feed grain production is included, livestock directly or indirectly utilized more than 85 percent of the land in farms and ranches. Livestock accounted for one-third of the value of farm and ranch products sold in 1954. Normally they account for about 4O percent of all sales except during wars when livestock sales are about equal to crop sales. As might be expected from the predomi- nance of grass and forage in the available supply of feed, grazing types of livestock account for more than three-fourths of the sale of livestock and livestock products. Beef Cattle a Beef cattle are the most important and the most widely distributed of all classes of livestock. The sale of cattle and calves normally makes up more than half of the total sale of livestock and livestock prod- ucts. Beef production is predominantly a grazing enterprise in Texas. Although generally distributed, the areas of greatest concentration of beef cattle are the Coast Prairie and adjacent areas, Figure 30. In general, the number of cattle other than milk cows and heifers decreased with the expansion of the cotton and wheat acreage from 1890 to 1930, Figure 31. Each peak in the cattle cycle was lower than the previous one. After 1930, the trend generally was 19 STATE TOTAL‘ 3,870,256 I DOT EOUALS l,OOO Figure 30. Distribution of cows kept mainly for beef pro- duction in Texas, 1954 (U. S. Census). Beef cattle are distributed generally over the State, with the greatest con- centration on the Coast Prairie and adjoining areas. upward, probably as the result of changes in land use growing out of attempts t0 adjust cotton and wheat acreages. This upward trend in numbers has been accompanied by a steady improvement in the quality of cattle kept for beef production. Price cycles and drouth have caused wide fluctuations within the general trend. Changes in land use have resulted in rapid expansion of cattle numbers in East Texas while the persistent drouth of the l940’s and l950’s depleted the range and reduced numbers of beef cattle in the western part of the State. Cattle numbers probably will continue to rise with the growth of population, recovery of western ranges from the effects MILLION HEAD 2O 25 3O 35 4O 45 5O 55 5O I900 O5 IO l5 Figure 31. Trends in the number of livestock on farms on January 1, 1900-59 (Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA). 20 of drouth and a continuation of land use adj although still following price cycles. Dairy Cattle The sale of dairy products ranks next tof of cattle in making up total livestock and i- products sales. Dairy products constituted m, 7 percent of the value of all farm products. percent of the value of livestock and l-ivestockjf during 1953-57. The dairy enterprise also co, substantially to cattle sales in the disposal cows and other surplus animals. Milk cows are distributed lightly over ing areas with heavier concentration of numf the large population centers, Figure 32. Thr of the milk cows were in the third of the St in which two-thirds of the human populati centrated, as reported in the 1954 census. The number of milk cows increased from about a half million in 1880 to a1 1,600,000 at the end of World War II, Figur January 1, 1958, the number of milk cows I reduced sharply to half of this peak numb a The trend is toward large commerci-f that sell their product as whole milk. Bet ' and 1954, milk sales increased from 168 to 2 gallons while butterfat sales decreased from g 20 to less than 3 million pounds. During ] period, the number of farms that reportedi of milk decreased from 42,000 to 14,000, reporting butterfat sales from 55,000 tj Further evidence of this trend is the decre 1950-54 from 67 to 55 percent in farms repo 4g STATE TOTAL‘ 688,888 I DOT EQUALS LOOO g ‘ f-Jri . . /' ‘ck: Figure 32. Distribution of cows kept primarily production in Texas, 1954 (U. S. Census). distributed lightly over most farming areas, but number are concentrated near the large populati About three-fourths of the milk cows are in the State in which two-thirds of the human pop concentrated (Figure , 7). s I‘, :1 Q the decrease from 9,593 t0 8,351 in the farms 0n which the sale of dairy products I. L50 percent 0r more of the value of products gese specialized dairy farms reported 8 more arm in 1954 than in 1950. Factors that con- jto this trend in the number of cows have is decrease in farm population and in the f farms, the trend toward specialization in agricultural production, increased capital nts and the scarcity and cost of labor. ftrend toward fewer and larger dairies is {to continue as the number of farms and Ville decrease and as bulk handling of milk _ial insemination are more generally prac- e dairy industry. le of sheep and wool normally makes up Qrcent of the value of sales of livestock and iroducts. " are concentrated largely on the Edwards _ut also are found in substantial numbers thern part of the Grand Prairie and the glains and in parts of the Trans-Pecos area, i’. The sale of lambs and wool is an im- rce of income in all of these areas. Most id on which sheep graze is high and dry, pd stony, has a broken topography and a cover of grass, palatable weeds and brush. r only are combined with cattle and Angora 1 e most effective utilization of these grazing The proportion of each in the combination ‘the vegetation from ranch to ranch and ;: year with changes in price relationships. few sheep or goats are found in the Central h centers in Llano county and extends into counties. The predominantly sandy soils, browse and prevalence of needlegrass, and grass burs in the vegetative cover ,;less favorable environment for sheep and for cattle. inumbers stayed between 2 and 2.5 million ifto World War I, Figure 31. After World f number of sheep rose rapidly from less ,2 more than l0 million by 1943. A long routh beginning in 1943 and sharp breaks he of wool and lambs in 1951-52 resulted more rapid drop in numbers. By 1957, l’ of sheep on Texas farms and ranches fell ‘illion for the first time since 1928. A recovery in sheep numbers is expected lecovery from drouth and as a result of '.0vement programs. c1j-- F. ff the Angora goat population is in the d0 eastern parts of the Edwards Plateau e brush-covered portions of the Grand West Cross Timbers, Figure 34. Goats help control vegetation that otherwise asted or become a nuisance on the range, STATE TOTAL" 5,733,563 IDOT EOUALS 5,000 Figure 33. Distribution 0ft sheep in Texas, 1954 (U. S. Census). Sheep are concentrated mainly on the Edwards Plateau, the Grand Prairie and in the Trans-Pecos. since they feed largely on the leaves of woody vege- tation. The Angora goat in Texas is the source of 95 percent of all mohair produced in the United States. There is some demand for goat meat which originates largely with the Spanish-American population. The market centers in San Antonio. Goats were first counted in the 1900 Census of Agriculture. Texas was credited with 627,000 goats at that time. Judging from the number of fleeces STATE TOTAL‘ 2,197,098 IDOT EOUALS 5,000 Figure 34. Distribution of Angora goats in Texas, 1954 (U. S. Census). Goats are concentrated largely in the more rough, broken and brush-covered portion of the Edwards Plateau and Grand Prairie and to a lesser extent in the wooded sections of the West Cross Timbers. Z1. STATE TOTAL‘ 906,324 "Lg-if ' . f/ s 5000 ‘HT / 1 |oor scum. , 1 Y J-g-Ir-J / . Figure 35. Distribution of hogs in Texas, 1954 (U. S. Census). The main part of the hog population is distributed lightly over the same areas in which corn production is concentrated (Figure 21). reported, probably not more than half of this number were Angora. By 1924, more than 2 million goats were being clipped. The number of Angora goats in Texas has fluctuated between 2 million and 4 million in response to changes in weather conditions and prices. Drouth seems to have been the most important factor influencing the trend in goat num- bers. The number reached a peak in 1931 and then decreased during the dry middle l930’s. Another STATE TOTAL‘ 74,643,378 DOZEN I DOT EQUALS 200,000 DOZEN Figure 36. Distribution of eggs sold in Texas, 1954 (U. S. Census). While almost three-fourths of all farms kept some laying hens, less than half of them sold eggs in 1954. Com- mercial egg production centers largely in and around the Blackland. 22 peak in numbers occurred during the early l was followed by a drop to slightly more than 2 during the extremely dry early 1950s Sin‘ the number of goats has steadily increased. T .4 of goats in the livesto-ck systems in those par _ State where browse is available seems assured of their feeding habits. ‘a There also were more than a quarter other (slick) goats in Texas in: 14954. They A“ for milk and meat and for brush control -j_ most numerous in the oak-covered portionsi State. l“ Hogs Hogs rank slightly below sheep as a r cash income on Texas farms and ranches. during 1953-57 accounted for 2 to 3 percen total marketing of farm commodities in Tex’ of the hog population is in the humid par State where the average annual rainfall is 3' or more and where corn is the principal f, Figure 35. An area of minor importance w» great potential, however, is the High Plains; larly the irrigated portions where much sorgh is produced each year. if The number of hogs on Texas farms on? p 1 of each year stayed well above 2 million until 1923, Figure 31. Since then the trend has been downward, except during World when the number rose to more than 3 mi, January l, 1944, for the only time on rec 1958, the number of hogs on farms dropp 1 million. g Like most other livestock enterprises, y duction changed greatly during the past l; years. With agriculture in general, this has become more commercial and specialize percent of all farms in 1940 reported less than 37 percent reported them in 195 less than 40 percent as many hogs on farmsf almost 70 percent as many pigs were produ 1940. The number of pigs saved per farm was double the number in 1940. Hogs kept primarily for home use, to utilize mast y’ natural foods found in woodlands and t? field-waste in peanut-producing areas. The; used to a more limited extent in the future ; purposes and the trend to fewer farms w hogs per farm will continue. “ 1 Poultry a The sale of poultry and poultry pr Texas averaged $141 million during 19 slightly more than the receipts from the sale? products during the same period. Eggs. ma percent of poultry sales; the sale of chicke ~ broilers, 42 percent; and turkeys, 12 per production is more generally distributed State than are other forms of poultry Figure 36. Although there is a distinct tre f kl cialized units, many farms still maintain small p supply eggs for home use. Almost three- of all farms reported chickens in 1954, but n half of them sold eggs. About 6 percent Iffarms reporting accounted for 37 percent of egg sales. As is the case with most farm fies, the trend is toward fewer and larger flocks i: eased production per hen. ilers presently constitute about 95 percent of of chickens sold. The production of broilers trated largely in three widely separated areas, is. ‘county, McLennan county and a large area ,; in Nacogdoches and Shelby counties in ‘ East Texas near the Louisiana state line, Broiler production is a highly specialized which was started during the depression the early 1930’s and currently markets more million birds per year. The enterprise is ‘ompletely integrated with the feed mixing "libuting business which, in conjunction with [tstanding developments in poultry feeding ling, account for its phenomenal growth. fey production is concentrated in Central _ound the Blackland area, Figure 38. The ,n trend generally is similar to that in production-fewer farms, larger flocks and insive methods. Before World War II, most ere produced under range conditions and ere incidental to other farm enterprises. In 000 farms reported an average of less than e Toduced an average of 112 birds. Since the I has been a pronounced shift from light Qbreeds and from range methods of manage- confined and intensified methods. There Zindications of a gradual shift of production tern and northern parts of the State. There gtions that turkey production, like broiler n, is nearing complete vertical integration companies and hatcheries. Mules , and mules are concentrated in the eastern e State where small farms and low farm 1prevail and on the large ranches in the d southern parts. and mule numbers increased steadily dur- ly development of farming in Texas, Figure reached a peak of 2,300,000 in 1920, held ;until 1926 when a steep downward trend ich has continued to the present time. The of horses and mules on Texas farms by p , 1959, had dropped to an estimated 232,000. 3a mere coincidence that 1926 also was the all-purpose tractors became available to ers. The tractor, motor truck and auto- fwith their greater speed, flexibility and t, have made animal power obsolete on ll farms. raised per farm, whereas in 1954, 25,000. +4. l 3--++—-— 444i +++ , iii +-t-"l-+ .+i e "1- 1L +1 +1 #- 1, i ‘l- m1- 1J0- STATE TOTAL ' 59,686,515 IDOT EOUALS 200,000 Figure 37. Distribution of“ chickens sold by farmers in Texas, 1954 (U. S. Census). The commercial production of chickens centers in Gonzales and McLennan counties, and in the main area around Shelby county. The number of tractors on Texas farms increased from 9,000 in 1920 to 277,000 in 1954. Motorized equipment also has taken over transportation on farms. Motor trucks increased from 5,400 in 1920 to 190,000 in 1954. Automobiles increased from 105,000 in 1920 to 251,000 in 1954. It is expected that the number of horses and mules will continue to decrease until it reaches a level necessary to maintain the number needed for ranch work, recreation and rodeos. STATE TOTAL - 2,805,988 I DOT EQUALS 5,000 Figure 38. Distribution of turkey production in Texas, 1954 (U. S. Census). Turkey production is concentrated in Central Texas, centering around the Blackland. 23 L] f V 4-21 f 7 i _ , lb n" "' T. u: i111 1 l i“ r “*1 l 3o ,) 4o 1 4b I s“, ‘ ' 1 at J L’ ' ‘ LL T’ F‘ f . || A ‘4/1 ""' ‘ I __ »' ' /l_ ». Ba- , A {_ _ ' \ \_ \_ ' . A‘; ' ' \ /\ ' \ , _ '\|2. . 'l6__ _/' 7b > _ / - 1 jflw” /~ _k / '_ l5\_ | i Q "\ . '/‘ i __."*--l~'A/\ i f '\ Y’ i‘ I / '70 ‘J1 L” f l3 ./ \. ,- '* f‘ \\<><><><><><>conn $666666H1AY mo FORAGE IDLE on FALLOW men 51121.0 CROPS DAIRY GENERAL '//////A GRAIN sonsnuu [jam omen CROPS MAINLY PASTURE ltlm“ OTHER Figure 42. Relative importance of the various land uses Relative importance of the various types of in each area and sub-area (adapted from 1954 U. S. Census). in each area and sub-area (adapted from 1954 ). PERCENTAGE DISTRIBUTION OF THE SALE OF FARM PRODUCTS IN TEXAS IN 1954, FOR THE STATE AND FOR EACH TYPE-OF-FARMING AREA, COMPUTED FROM THE U. S. CENSUS, 1954 Vegetables, Livestock Field fruits and nuts, other“ than Dairy ljioultrl’; Forest crops and horticulture dairy and y products an Izloutry products specialties poultry pm u‘: S 49.0 49.6 .9 . 66.7 1.5 27.8 2.4 1.5 91.5 .2 7.2 .5 .5 55.1 .7 01.9 1.7 1.2 95.4 .2 5.5 .5 .0 47.7 1.0 40.9 1.5 2.5 75.5 .2 22.5 2.0 1.5 41.0 1.0 49.5 5.0 5.0 72.1 .5 27.1 .5 .2 00.1 .9 15.4 15.0 1.0 11.2 2.4 52.2 1.0 2.0 5.2 1.9 71.5 0.1 11.9 2.9 .5 92.2 .5 5.5 25.5 27.5 41.5 1.5 1.1 22.5 5.7 59.7 22.5 0.5 44.5 1.4 55.5 12.0 7.7 19.4 14.5 57.2 7.0 1.5 75.4 15.7 5.0 1.7 .0 91.0 1.5 5.7 .5 .9 10.2 5.5 47.0 24.0 y 9.5 50.5 .7 25.1 29.4 5.0 15.7 .9 05.5 4.0 12.5 .2 02.9 E 2.4 20.0 7.7 0.9 .1 24.2 '0 1.9 25.7 11.2 50.5 .2 24.5 ‘ 9.9 24.7 10.5 25.2 1.2 20.5 1.0 25.0 15.5 52.9 4.1 40.0 2.5 50.9 5.0 11.7 .5 09.0 4.7 11.0 12.0 2.4 .5 79.0 .5 15.0 2.0 5.2 05.0 5.1 25.5 5.0 a 4.9 .1 Mu“ 355p - ANGQRA CHIX SOLD MILK SOLD EGGS SOLD AREA COWS COWS SHEEP HOGS GOATS IOO HEAD IOO GALLONS IOO DOZEN 5O 5O I O 5O l O _i5Q 5O 5O j IOO 5.0 IOO I o | a I I c | 2 a o I I 3 b 4 a I | 4 s | I 5 e I I I 7 ll 1 o l I 7 0 8 u a n I I 8 c I | I 8 d 9 I I a0 | | u I I l2 a I l2 b I l3 a I l3 b l4 l5 l6 l‘! a l7 b sum Figure 43. Relative numbers of livestock on farms and the quantities of livestock products sold per 1,000 acres of land in farms in each area and sub-area (adapted from 1954 U. S. Census). 43. These figures show the great difference that exists between areas in enterprise combinations. These combinations will be treated in more detail in discussions of the individual areas. Figure 41 further emphasizes the importance of the plains and prairie areas in crop production. Figure 43 shows that some livestock are distributed generally over the State, whereas others, such as sheep and goats, tend to be highly concentrated in a few areas. A common denominator for these physical differ- ences among the various type-of-farming areas is found STATE TOTAL" $|,s42,oe9,324 ,- {Tinn- '- . .|-="='- / |ooT=$|,ooo,ooo . u. :1‘ Tyr- s‘ y! Figure 44. Distribution of the value of farm products sold in Texas, 1954 (U. S. Census). Sales tend to be concentrated in the intensively cropped areas. 28 in the relative value of the products sold, Differences in sources of income were considf fully in placing each county in its respecti sub-area. The distribution of the total sal farm products is shown in Figure 44. A tion of sales is shown in the irrigated porti‘ High Plains and in the Lower Rio Gra and the Coastal Bend. These three areas for more than a third of all sales in 1954. Area l. Northern High Plains The Northern High Plains comprise a g or all of each of the 18 most northern co; the High Plains. It includes also small f counties making up area 2 which divides a ' two parts. a The soils are primarily dark brown a brown clays and clay loams. An exception and Hartley counties where lighter colored * predominate. The almost flat surface of Plains is pitted by many playa lakes whi except during rainy seasons. Much of tj drainage of the area is into these lakes. A fe, that reach into the area and help form . waters of the Brazos, Red and Canadian riv the rest of the drainage. The elevation is 3,000 to 4,500 feet and slopes gently to i, CEISt. I The climate is subhumid. The avera rainfall ranges from 18 inches in the West; 22 inches in the east. The rainfall var' from year to year. Over a period of 6 Amarillo, it ranged from l] inches in l inches in 1923. . . The area has the shortest frost-free any part of the State, ranging from an 180 days in the northwest to 200 days in the I There has been a difference of more tha? between the shortest and longest frost-free; A low and erratic rainfall coupled wi growing season and long distance from lar limit the alternative uses of the land and i‘ risk in the area, especially for dryland a l In recent years, irrigation from Wells practiced in parts of the area to offset th variable rainfall. Almost 1.75 million ac ~§ gated land were reported in the area in Census. More than 80 percent was in designated in Figure 39 as sub-area lc. Sub-area 1a, lying north of the Cana Breaks, has large scale, highly specialized A beef cattle production. In addition to L herds of cattle, many sheep and cattle are L sub-areas la and lb to graze on wheat fie the winters when growing conditions pe l farms average about 2,000 acres in size, wi cent cultivated. Less than 4 percent of th is irrigated. The value of products sold w about evenly between field crops and lives vested crops were divided between grain a; 3 and small grains, mainly wheat. Practically 4is grown because of the short growing two percent 0r all farms in this sub-area in cziclassed as commercial. Types of farming e cash grains, 60 percent, and livestock, Minor types include general, 3 percent, 21.5 percent. 31a lb is similar to sub-area la in soils, in ‘j age of the land cultivated and in the ops grown. It differs in that vegetables ltatoes, carrots, onions and lettuce) are ‘rtant and a small acreage of cotton is proximately 17 percent of the cropland f Livestock accounted for about one-third l of products sold and crop sales two-thirds. ged 1,212 acres and 86 percent were classed [.7 ial. Q71 percent of the commercial farms were ‘ h grain and 16 percent as livestock farms. included general, 4.5 percent; dairy, 3.8 cotton, 3.6 percent. lc is much more intensively farmed than ithe area. With almost the same amount arms as in sub-area lb, the value of farm T» in 1954 was 31/2 to 4 times the value of sold in lb. Similarly, with 1,290,000 ,__rmland than sub-area 1a, the value of cts sold was more than five times the products sold in la. i, ference may be explained by a somewhat ing season, by '70 percent of the land being compared with 42 percent in the other by the greater extent of irrigation (62.5 cropland) in this sub-area. The de- of irrigation from wells has permitted the cotton production northward 30 to 40 ly increased production per acre and re- f {risk resulting from low, variable rainfall. erage farm size in 1954 was 530 acres, or If the average size in sub-area lb. Crop Yup 92 percent of the total value of‘ all d. Sorghum grain, small grain and cotton percent of the harvested cropland. Indi- e crops occupied about 46, 25 and 23 fectively, of the harvested cropland. The was largely in forage and hay crops. _ es up a large part of the hay acreage. 94 percent of the farms were classed as Fifty-six percent of the commercial farms i.‘ farms, 32 percent cash grain farms, 6.5 lral farms and 5 percent livestock farms. ifpoultry farms together accounted for less _ent of commercial farms. developments in area l seem to center question of water for irrigation. The area underground reservoir from which high ation water is obtained. Unfortunately, recharge of the reservoir is hardly more of the rate of withdrawal. This means Figure 45. Wheat, grain sorghum and forage crops account for more than 95 percent of the harvested cropland in sub-areas la and lb. Courtesy, State Highway Department. that the supply of water available for irrigation eventually will be exhausted. The water-holding materials vary greatly in thickness, density and in distance from the surface. This means that some farms will be without irrigation water much sooner than others. It also means that because of the great depth to water, the cost of developing water resources in parts of the area may become prohibitive. The latter problem is associated with a short growing sea- son that results in the lack of a high income crop in sub-areas la and lb and explains much of the differ- ence that exists between these parts of the area. Without irrigation, there would be little cotton produced and no commercial vegetable production in area l. Wheat, sorghum and cattle again would dominate the agriculture in sub-area lc. Because of the large amounts of grain produced, area 1 has a high potential for livestock production. If this potential were realized, the development prob- ably would be in large scale, highly specialized com- mercial feedlots. More than 90 percent of the sorghum grain is now sold from the farms on which it is pro- duced. The stability of feed production in this area depends largely on irrigation. Figure 46. Grain sorghum accounts for about half of the harvested cropland, and cotton and wheat about one-fourth each in sub-area lc. 29 Figure 47. Cattle ranching is the only important enterprise on the broken lands along the Canadian River (area 2). Courtesy, Soil Conservation Service. Area 2, Canadian Breaks The rough, broken lands along the Canadian River occupy a large part of the five counties com- prising this area. The breaks also make up small parts of seven other counties. A small portion of each of five counties is on the High Plains where the type of farming is similar to that in area 1. Cattle ranching is the only important enterprise in the breaks. The High Plains portion of these five counties are devoted almost entirely to cash grain production. Small grains and sorghum together ac- counted for 95 percent of the harvested crops. Live- stock sales, primarily beef cattle, made up almost two- thirds and crop sales one-third of the total value of the farm products sold in the five counties in 1954. Three-fourths of the farms were classed as com- mercial. Livestock and cash grain farms were about equal in numbers and together made up 84 percent of all types of commercial farms. Minor types included dairy, 6 percent; general, 5 percent; cotton, 2 percent; and poultry, 2 percent. Except for a small amount of dairy and poultry production around the cities, large scale ranching should continue to be the only use for these rough, broken lands of the Canadian River basin. Because Figure 48. Cotton and grain sorghum account for more than 95 percent of the harvested cropland in sub-area 3a. Courtesy, Soil Conservation Service. 30 of the short growing season, low annual rain 7f limited crop alternatives, farms in the Higg portions of these five counties probably will to follow a cash grain type of farming. ' Area 3, Southern High Plains This area includes all or large parts of 18 { in the southern parts of the High Plains. A range from clay loams to fine sands but are nantly sandy. The averagewaianual rainfay from about 20 inches in the northeastern; about 15 inches in the southern and westei The rainfall varies greatly from year to ye a period of 50 years at Lubbock, the smallest’ less than 9 inches, came in 1917, while more" inches were recorded in 1941. These wid ations around a low average rainfall make farming a risky business. The length of the growing season a widely. The average frost-free period ran less than 200 days in the north to more l day in the south. A difference of about 90 occurred between the shortest and longest period. i. With ground water available, irrigati wells has been developed to counteract the), climatic forces. In 1954, 27 percent of the r or 1,169,000 acres, were irrigated. Topography of the area is like that of; ' flat, sloping gently to the southeast and -;_ numerous depressions or playa lakes. All characteristics of the area are conducive to 1 _ extensive types of farming. The area is di two sub-areas based on the relative impo farming and ranching. The agriculture of sub-area 3a is predi farming. Crop sales in 1954 made up mil 95 percent of the total value of farm prod Almost 60 percent of the farmland was v and the average farm size was 573 acres. In contrast with area 1, the sandy soils‘? longer growing season favor cotton produc wheat and other small grains. Some of A sandy soils are subject to severe erosion, “i difficult to establish and maintain stands or cotton. Where cultivated, these soils ar mostly to crops such as grain sorghum an, grass. Cotton occupied 45 percent of the harv land and grain sorghum, 47 percent, in 1954; crops included forage sorghum, 4.2 percent, f grains, mostly wheat, 2.2 percent. Thirty y the harvested cropland was irrigated. f Thirty percent of the cotton produced s. during 1954-58 came from sub-area 3a. Du , same years, areas 1 and 3 together produc 43 percent of all cotton grown in the State’. The sale of livestock and livestock pri counted for less than 5 percent of the val products sold. Dairy and poultry sales toge up about 25 percent of the value of livest .3 ; my more than 1 percent of the value of all fsold. 93 percent of all farms were classed as 'al and 90 percent of the commercial farms on farms. Other types were cash grain, 2.8 ‘jlivestock, 3.3 percent; general, 2.3 percent; and poultry, each 0.7 percent. ea 3b is primarily a ranching area. Less rcent of the land in farms is cultivated and :10 percent of the cultivated land is irrigated. lerage about 500 acres and ranches about es. The farming practiced is similar to b-area 3a. percent of the 1954 harvested cropland was 1i125 percent in grain sorghum and 23 percent rops, mainly sorghum. Normally the value and livestock products account for about and crops one-third of all products sold. I‘ are less than 400 commercial farms and ig= sub-area 3b. Fifty-five percent of these as cotton farms. Livestock farms or if ounted for 36 percent, the remainder in- fultry and dairy farms serving the needs of ‘ _d Odessa. ,uthern High Plains have about the same lems as area l-a much faster rate of water Q well recharge, declining well yields and cost of water. These problems are some- acute in area 3 because of a thinner layer iaring material and of generally lower well I Qrobably will continue as the principal use ' whether dry farming or irrigation is V’? and dairy production likely will increase owth in population. The large quantities Se» grain and cottonseed by-products give the ‘a potential for livestock production. More frcent of the grain is now sold from the jwhich it is produced. As in area l, the 0r livestock production is most likely to through large commercial feedlots. lling Plains and Prairies differences are the rule rather than the 7 the soils and topography of area 4. The gainly on the Rolling Plains and North ies, with soils ranging from deep fertile ‘and clay loams to loose sands, sandy loams g drouthy clays and clay loams. The area fly by many rivers and their tributaries. the divides between these streams are flat iolling and usually are cultivated. Most Le formed djeep valleys with narrow strips d. Most of the land between these areas broken and is used primarily for grazing. largest ranches in the State are found in ‘ate is sub-humid. The average annual ' ges from about 28 inches in the east to ywever, the production of cotton and grain y Figure 49. Stripping is the common method of harvesting cotton on the High Plains after frost has desiccated the plants. 22 inches in the west. As on the High Plains, the rainfall is variable from year to year and within a given year, making it difficult for farmers to follow systematic rotation of crops. Cotton and sorghum may be planted in the spring if moisture conditions are favorable. If rains are delayed until midsummer, a late sorghum crop may be the only alternative. The next opportunity to plant may come with late summer and fall rains when small grains are the only alterna- tive. The situation is complicated since fall-seeded crops do not follow good crops of cotton or grain sorghum successfully. Except‘ in the case of crop-fail- ure, land planted to these crops cannot be returned to fall-seeded crops until it has been left idle or fallowed for a year. Good quality water for irrigation is not available except in very limited portions of the area. Less than 2 percent of the cropland was irrigated in 1954. Area 4 has been divided into two parts. Sub- area 4a, the most western and dryer part of area 4 mainly follows cash-crop types of farming. Although Figure 50. Less than 2 percent of the land in sub-area 3b is devoted to crops. Courtesy, State Highway Department. 31 Figure 51. A typical scene in one of the better farming sections of the Rolling Plains. Courtesy, Soil Conservation Service. only about one-third of the land in farms is cultivated, the sale of crops, primarily cotton, sorghum and wheat, made up almost 75 percent of the total value of farm products sold in the drouth year of 1954. Cattle sales accounted for most of the remainder. Cotton occupied 46.5 percent of the harvested cropland; grain sorghum, 23.5 percent; small grains, 19 percent; and forage sorghum and hay, about l0 percent. Beef production is the only important live- stock enterprise. Dairy and poultry production are limited to the needs of the small urban population. Sheep are fairly important in two or three counties in the extreme southern part of the area, which includes remnants of the Edwards Plateau, Figure 33. Eighty-four percent of the farms were classed as commercial. Cotton farms accounted for 71 percent; livestock farms, 14 percent; general farms, 6 percent; cash grain, 5 percent; and dairy and poultry farms together, less than 3 percent of all commercial farms. The number of cotton farms exceeded the num- ber of every other type of commercial farm in each of the 22 counties making up sub-area 4a. Cotton Figure 52. More than two-thirds of the land in farms in sub-area 4a and three-fourths in sub-area 4b is in native pasture and is grazed mostly by cattle. Courtesy Soil Con- servation Service. 32 farms also constituted a majority of the co farms in all but one of the 22 counties. In sub-area 4b, ranching or stock farmif principal farm enterprise. The sale of live livestock products made up 58 percent, and f 42 percent, of the value of all farm prod" Cattle sales alone exceeded crop sales. a 80 percent of the land in farms is pasturecLf Small grains, principallygwlieat, made 3 cent; cotton, l8 percent; sorghum grain, 4 percent; and sorghum forage and hay, l? of the harvested cropland. Cotton prod mainly on the bottomlands of the Pease- a rivers and the deep, smooth and more sandy loam soils. Wheat for the most part‘; on the more dense and shallow clays and i which are too drouthy for the production? that mature during the hot and dry sum a As in 4a, beef cattle are by far the most type of livestock. However, in 1954, ther percent more cattle per 1,000 acres of 4b than in 4a. This higher rate of sto" result of the higher rainfall on more forage crops, and of the added grazing pr the preponderance of winter grains in the; system. Sheep are of minor importance 9; the two southernmost counties, Brown and Dairy and poultry production are minor e but less so than in 4a. ~ Only 69 percent of the farms were i‘ commercial. The commercial farms broke to type were 40 percent livestock, 25 pe grain, 15 percent cotton, 12 percent general; dairy and 3 percent poultry. Livestock and 4 farms together constitute most of the farms in all but one of the 16 counties p, sub-area 4b. i With so much of the land adapted only and with a low and variable rainfa‘__ with a very limited supply of water for it is expected that extensive types offa l continue to dominate area 4. Figure 53. Beef cattle are the principal users of in a large part of area 5. Courtesy, Soil Service. ~ A ranch headquarters in the Davis Mountains 1}» the Trans-Pecos (area 5). Courtesy, Soil Con- Service. Mountains and Basins f‘dition t0 Loving and Ward counties, this ‘T des most of the land lying south and west ecos River. Area 5 has a wider range in than any other part of the State. In “The exas,” Carter refers to it as the region of 'ns and basins,” but it now is more commonly Trans-Pecos. Numerous mountain ranges e area with some peaks rising to more than _. Between these ranges are flat plains or ich vary from 2,500 to 5,000 feet in elevation. these basins where irrigation water is avail- f? highly productive. in the area. Most irrigation water is now }i,from wells. It formerly came from large d from the Macmillan Reservoir in New average annual rainfall ranges from less ,1 ches in the western part of the area to more 7', ches in the Davis Mountains. than 97 percent of the land in farms is -,ecause of the low carrying capacity of the ind, the ranches are very large. The average 54 was around 25,000 acres. Less than 2 1v the land in farms is cultivated and more d of the cropland was idle in 1954. This land is in relatively small, widely scattered allies. Much of the idle cropland results from 3 water supply or from the effects of low iter. Cotton is practically the only cash . It occupied about 69 percent of the icropland in 1954. When acreage restric- fin effect on Upland cotton, some of the eage is planted to American-Egyptian cot- fiother crops supplement the livestock enter- ay, mainly aiflfalfa, made up 14 percent of ted cropland. Other crops of some im- re grain and forage sorghum and small p’ addition to harvested crops, 8 to l0 per- cropland is used for annual pasture crops. and sheep are the principal types of live- ' ere are a few Angora goats lightly scattered Figure 55. Typical range in the western part of the Trans- Pecos. Courtesy, Soil Conservation Service. There is no drylandp over the southern half of the area. Having the thinnest population of any area in the State, less than 2 persons per square mile, dairy and poultry produc- t1on are at a minimum. Despite the fact that crops were harvested from only 1 percent of the land in farms, crop sales amounted to more than 72 percent of the value of all farm products sold. This is partly the result of high yields of high quality cotton. During 1954-58, the average yield was 966 pounds of lint per acre. Eighty-four percent of the farms and ranches were classed as commercial. These in turn were classed 47 percent cotton farms, 46 percent livestock farms or ranches and 3 percent general. No other type accounted for as much as 2 percent of the number of commercial farms. As in most arid or semi-arid areas, future develop- ment in the area will depend largely on irrigation water. With the limited supply of water, the main use of land in the area will continue to be an exten- sive type of grazing. Figure 56. Deep-plowing land to improve permeability. When irrigated, land of this type averages almost 2 bales of cotton per acre (area 5). Courtesy, State Highway Department. 33 harvested cropland. Figure 57. Cotton and alfalfa account for 95 percent of the harvested cropland in the Upper Rio Grande Valley (area 6). Courtesy, Soil Conservation Service. A Area 6. Upper Rio Grande Valley This area comprises a narrow strip of alluvial soils extending about 75 miles along the Rio Grande above and below El Paso. The climate is arid and all crops are irrigated. The average annual rainfall is less than l0 inches. The principal source of water is the Elephant Butte Reservoir in New Mexico. Although the average elevation of the area is 3,000 to 4,000 feet, the average frost-free period is about 240 days. The great distance to large central markets has greatly influenced the character of farming in this area. Because of high transportation costs, only products of high value per unit or those that can be disposed of locally are grown. Crop sales made up 67 percent of the value of all farm products sold in 1954, while livestock and livestock products accounted for 33 percent. Cotton occupied 64 percent and alfalfa 31 percent of the Barley and oats accounted for 1.5 percent and vegetables l percent of the harvested Figure 58. The southern part of the Edwards Plateau is broken badly and brush covered. Angora goats are the dominant type of livestock. Courtesy, State Highway Department. 34 with the number of cattle and sheep. On crops. No other crop used as much as l pe the harvested cropland. g a As in area 5, a substantial acreage of Egyptian cotton is grown when acreage re, 2 are in effect on Upland cotton. Cotton . about 1.5 bales per acre. Yields, staple len grade are among the best in the State. » yields in this area are also the highest in t_ I. averaging 3 to 4 tons per acrea ~' A total population of about 200,000 in I county makes dairying the most important _ enterprise. The sale of dairy products accounted for about 19 percent of the val '9 farm products sold. Livestock feeding and s ing also have become important enterpris area. These livestock enterprises, in ad‘, outlying ranches, provide the market for 2 quantities of alfalfa hay grown in the areaj; The overwhelming importance of cottoj agriculture of the area is indicated by the 92 percent of all commercial farms received cent or more of their income from cotton types of farms were livestock, 4.6 percent; c; percent; and vegetable, l percent, of all farms. Part-time, residential and abnorm made up 28 percent of the total number 2 in the area in 1954. Because of its isolation, this area seems; to continue cotton production to the limit L under adjustment programs. A growing suggests that there will be a need for more if and other livestock enterprises. This in t serve to expand the local market for alfal Area 7, Edwards Plateau and Central Area 7 comprises more than 24 milli spread over 30 counties and includes mo Edwards Plateau and the Central Basin. ‘A ical characteristics, of the area are such of it can be used only for grazing. Thes a rough, broken topography, shallow stony soil and a low annual rainfall ranging from in the east to 15 inches in the west. A w, of vegetation consisting of grasses, forbs an, and shin oak brush permits a diversified g: grazing involving cattle, sheep and Ang, The combination of these three types ofii varies with the range and with changing f tionships. On the rougher, more broken a covered range, the number of goats is large; open grasslands, cattle and sheep are keen»: tors for the range with relative prices p, important part in determining the combii a particular time. On the intermediate. range, all three types of livestock are fouf portant numbers, with sheep usually pr in the combination. Because of differences in physical resi area is divided into three sub-areas. ‘e more western and drier part, designated a 7a, the ranches are large, averaging 10 ons. Aside from protein supplements, they ainly on the range for feed. Only 3 per- e land in farms and ranches is cultivated were harvested from only half of the land in 1954. Most of the farming is e portions of the plains areas which spill {fsome of the counties making up sub-area ikcropping systems closely resemble those of Plains. Cotton made up 39 percent; Thum, 25 percent; small grains, 9 percent; forage crops, 25 percent of the har- ‘land. More than 30 percent of the crop- sed for pasture only. percent of the farms were classed as Of these, 75 percent were livestock nches, l6 percent cotton farms and 3 per- farms. As further evidence of the im- if livestock in the area, the sale of live- livestock products accounted for 86 percent tle of all agricultural products sold. At ,rcent of the value of livestock and live- ucts sold was from range livestock, cattle, iligoats. é/a 7b receives more rainfall, and small livestock farms dominate the agricul- average size ranch or stock farm is little 2 sections. The native range is supple- cropland pasture and by the production is, including a substantial proportion of which, in addition to grain, provide e , g during the late winter and early spring. it l4 percent of the land in farms is culti- A [crops were harvested from only 40 percent ivated land in 1954. Thirty-five percent ‘r pasture only, while 25 percent was idle "5: that failed. Cash crops, such as cotton its, used less than 5 percent of the culti- , whereas feed crops and annual pastures d more than 70 percent. There is a good balance between grass and central part of the Edwards Plateau. Cattle, igoats are found on most ranches. Courtesy, Soil Service. Figure 60. The vegetation in the northwestern part of the Edwards Plateau is mainly grass, and cattle and sheep are practically the only-types of livestock. Courtesy, Soil Con- servation Service. ' Only two-thirds of the farms or ranches in this part of the area were classed as commercial and almost three-fourths of these were livestock farms. Poultry farms at 8 percent ranked next in number, followed in order of importance by general farms, cash grain, cotton and dairy farms. The sale of livestock and livestock products formed more than 88 percent of the value of the agricultural products sold. Cotton, grains, pecans and peanuts comprised most of the remainder. The land resources of this part of area 7 are used increasingly for residential and recreation pur- poses. Many people from Austin, Houston and San Antonio maintain summer residences while others operate dude ranches and various types of recrea- tional facilities. There are relatively dense deer and wild turkey populations in the area which attract sportsmen from a large portion of East Texas. The leasing of hunting rights is an important source of income on most of the ranches of the area. Sub-area 7c is made up largely of the Central Basin. In elevation, it ranges from 500 to 1,000 feet below the surrounding Edwards Plateau. Origi- nally a part of the Plateau, the Central Basin was formed by erosion of the overlying limestone. The soils are predominantly sandy, although remnants of the Edwards limestone give the area some of the characteristics of the Edwards Plateau. The vege- tation on the sandy soils includes much needlegrass, Figure 61. Vegetation in the Central Basin (sub-area 7c) is utilized almost exclusively by cattle. Courtesy, Soil Con- servation Service. 35 speargrass and grass burs, which make an unfavor- able environment for sheep and goats. Very little browse is available. Sheep and goats are kept to utilize some of the vegetation on the remnants of the Plateau. Livestock dominate the agriculture more com- pletely than in any other part of the area. The sale of livestock and livestock products in 1954 made up 96 percent of the value of all products sold. Cattle and calves sold accounted for more than half of all products sold. Ranches on the more typical Basin lands aver- age two to three times the size of ranches on the adjoining Plateau. Like the adjoining area, the lease of hunting rights is an important source of income to local ranchmen. Less than 4 percent of the land in farms and ranches is cultivated and less than half of the culti- vated land produced harvested crops in 1954. More than a third of the cultivated land was used for pasture only. Peanuts occupied 35 percent of the harvested cropland and cotton 12 percent. Hay and other forage crops accounted for another 40 percent. Almost 81 percent of the farms and ranches in sub-area 7c were classed as commercial farms, of which 89 percent were livestock, 4 percent dairy, 4 percent general and 3 percent cotton and peanut farms. Because of the nature of its land resources, area 7 probably will be used continuously for grazing. As nearby urban populations build up, the area will be used increasingly for recreation and related activi- ties. The amount of rainfall and its distribution will continue to cause fluctuations in the rates of stocking the range. Within the limits set by differ- ences in the vegetative cover, price relationships among range livestock and livestock products will determine the combinations of cattle, sheep and " goats utilizing the range. Area 8. South Texas Plain The South Texas Plain comprises 21 of the southernmost counties in the State, including a large Figure 62. Onions are one of the principal vegetable crops in the Winter Garden, sub-area 8a. 36 part of the Rio Grande Plain. It is ..f dissected, gentle rolling and brush covered soils range from dark clays and clay loams" t1 loams and sands. The average annual rainfal from 20 to 30 inches, but its effectiveness is by year-to-year extremes in its amount and tion and by a high rate of evaporation. In western and southern parts of the area, some limitations are overcome withil, irrigation. ences in soils and rainfall have resulted in s, differences in types of farming to justify A the area into four sub-areas. Sub-area 8a, sometimes called the Winter I centers in three of the driest and most ;. counties. The soils are mainly clay lo 3“ sandy loams. Cattle ranching and irrigation characterize the agriculture of this sub-areag tion water is obtained from wells and fit Nueces River. Less than 9 percent of the farms is cultivated and crops were harvest only 4O percent of the cultivated land in 19 I land pasture, some of it irrigated, accounte percent of the cultivated area. More than». cent of the land in farms and. ranches is In 1954, almost one-fourth of the harvesji land was in cotton. Onions, spinach, ca tomatoes made up 34 percent and feed m, counted for the remainder, mainly corn L sorghum (l3 percent) and hay and other f0“ percent) . , Crop sales accounted for 56 percent of j of farm products sold. Almost half of it c’ the sale of vegetables, fruits and nuts and tural specialties. Livestock and livestock products accouf percent of the value of all products sold. are the only important type of livestock. j of cattle and calves make up more than of the value of all livestock and livestock sold. I T s)“ .. ._'§,,‘".}.:“. - y‘ Seventy percent of the farms in thisF were classed as commercial farms. These we i, as livestock farms or ranches, 45.6 percent; j 17.9 percent; cotton, 13.6 percent; generalg cent; dairy, 5.5 percent; poultry, 5.3 per fruit and nut farms, 2.7 percent. -. Trends in sub-area 8a have been tow_ crop production and more cattle. There four times as much cropland, more than much harvested crops and more than three many beef cows in this sub-area in 1954 as in 1930. _- The cropping systems also changed suit Vegetables accounted for 60 percent of the f crops in 1930 and only 34 percent in 1954. I‘ and onions made up 86 percent of the’; A acreage in 1930 and only 47 percent in 19 vegetables which have increased in impor lettuce, tomatoes and carrots. Irrigated t; become an important cash crop since World 'r significant change has been the irriga- ual pastures and increased production of is. Both of these developments are re- l?‘ e increase in beef production. 8b includes all or parts of seven coun- soils are mostly sandy, but range from ‘ijito light sands. Slightly more than 3O frfthe land in farms is classed as cropland, in half of it was harvested in 1954. More 6d of the cropland was used for pasture ntrast with sub-area 8a in which 55 per- f; cropland was irrigated, only 4 percent in 8b. The agriculture of this sub- fted somewhat by its nearness to markets onio. There are relatively more dairy i~ farms than in the rest of the area. Less cent of the farms were classed as com- ,6 most 60 percent of the commercial farms k farms or general farms. The rest of litre widely distributed among other types: i. percent; peanuts and flax, 8.9 percent; rcent; cotton, 6.5 percent; cash grain, i, vegetables, 3.3 percent; and fruits and ient. range of truck crops are grown. Pea- 'elons and peas are the principal crops sandy soils. Cotton, flax and row feed i» cropping systems on the heavier soils. ops, mainly peanuts, cotton, vegetables ount for only 34 percent of the acreage J crops. Feed crops, about equally di- ‘en grain and forage, account for the ilk and livestock products made up al- cent of the value of farm products sold jttle alone constituted almost half and fcts a third of the value of the livestock A products sold. 1nd appears to be away from cash crops ijmore livestock production. As the urban fcentering around San Antonio increases, expected to continue. 8c is primarily a dryland area. Less ent of the cropland is irrigated. The dominantly dark clays and clay loams areas of sandy soils intermixed. The Efall averages 25 to 30 inches and is than three-fourths of the farmland ne-fourth of the cropland are pastured. more than one-fourth of the farmland y cropland. Sixty-eight percent of the d was harvested. Harvested crops in- in, 22 percent; corn, 20 percent; grain ‘it percent; forage sorghum, l4 percent; 12 percent. Other crops of some im- re hay, 4 percent, and vegetables, mainly i. and onions, 2 percent. Sixty-two per- State’s 1954 flax acreage was reported '1 8c. Figure 63. A typical landscape in sub-area 8c where cotton, corn, grain and forage sorghum and flax are the principal crops. Courtesy, Soil Conservation Service. As might be expected, with more than three- fourths of the farmland used for pasture only, live- stock loom large in farming systems. The sale of livestock and livestock products accounted for more than half of the value of farm products sold in 1954. Cattle sales alone accounted for almost 3O percent and dairy and poultry sales made up more than 2O percent. Almost 73 percent of the farms in this sub-area in 1954 were classed as commercial, being livestock, 31 percent; cotton, 30 percent; general, 16 percent; poultry, 7 percent; cash grain, 6 percent; dairy, 4 percent; and other field crops, mainly flax, 4 percent. No other type represented as much as l percent of the commercial farms. Sub-area 8c is located strategically between the San Antonio and Corpus Christi markets. A substan- tial part of the milk and poultry products consumed in these two cities is produced in this sub-area. As these communities continue to grow, expanded pro- duction of these products may be expected. Other- wise, in view of climatic conditions and limited water resources, only extensive types of farming will be practiced, with emphasis on beef cattle and on such crops as cotton, corn, grain sorghum and flax. Figure 64. Native pastures dominate land use in area 8, ranging from two-thirds of the land in farms in sub-area 8b to 95 percent in 8d. Courtesy, State Highway Department. 37 Sub-area 8d represents more than half of area 8. Very extensive systems of production prevail except for a few favored communities where irrigation is practiced. Some of the largest ranches in the State are in sub-area 8d. More than 95 percent of the land in farms is used for pasture only. Less than 5 percent of the land in farms and ranches is cultivated and only slightly more than half of the cropland was in harvested crops in 1954. About 8 percent of the cropland is irrigated. Eighty percent of the irrigated land is in the three counties bordering the Rio Grande. Most of the dryland farming is done in the eastern part of 8d where rainfall is somewhat greater than in the rest of this sub-area. Although most of the land is grazed, the sale of crops made up more than one-third of the value of products sold in 1954. Cotton and vegetables were the principal crops sold. Cattle sales made up more than half of all livestock sales and the sale of dairy products accounted for most of the remainder. Only 61 percent of the farms in 8d in 1954 were» classed as commercial. Of these, 41 percent were cotton; 40 percent livestock; 7 percent dairy; and 5 percent vegetable farms. No other type repre- sented as much as 3 percent of the commercial farms. The average farm size in 1954 was almost two and one-half times the average size in 1930. Other trends include a drop in cotton acreage and an in- crease in vegetable production, feed crops and live- stock. Because of its limited supply of irrigation water and the low and erratic rainfall, ranching and other extensive types of farming will continue to dominate the agriculture of the South Texas Plain. Area 9. Lower Rio Grande Valley The lower Rio Grande Valley comprises the three southernmost counties in Texas—Cameron, Hidalgo and Willacy. The soils range from light sands in the north to very dense clays along the Rio Grande. These soils are highly productive when properly managed. From the northwest part of the Figure 65. Most of the citrus groves in the Lower Rio Grande Valley had to be replanted after» the destructive freeze of January 1951. Courtesy, State Highway Depart- ment. 38 1x l’, I area, where the surface is gently rolling, it y: flattens to the south and east. The climate is semi-tropical with an _ frost-free period of more than 300 days. Th rainfall averages approximately 25 inches, be greatly from year to year and from season within each year. The rainfall and its eff“ decline from east to west. A substantial p cropland in the northwest part. of Hidalg and in the eastern parts of Willacy and counties is dry-farmed. About 55 percent of the farmland in r is classed as cropland. Crops were harvesi about 8O percent of the cropland in 1954..‘ part of the pastureland is concentrated on of sandy soils in northern Hidalgo county a y‘ marshy and semi-marshy lands in eastern ' and Willacy counties. More than half of p‘ land and two-thirds of the harvested ac irrigated in 1954. The acreage irrigated normal because of a shortage of irrigati brought on by the drouth of the early 19 The long growing season and the avai water for irrigation permit the producti‘ wide range of crops. Cotton and grain so the principal crops on dryland, while cot tables and citrus fruits occupy most of the; a on irrigated farms. Cotton is decidedly p‘ cropland product and accounted for 54 1, the acreage of harvested crops in 1954. w other crops of major importance are vege] percent; grain sorghum, 17 percent; and ci Double use of some croplands is permitt long frost-free period and the large numb season vegetables grown. Before and during World War II, ci principal cash crop. Hard freezes in 19 1951 destroyed 85 percent of the citrus§ Hardly more than half of this citrus ~51 been replanted and much of it is not of v‘ at this time. Because of the loss of nu i the shortage of irrigation water for se f following 1951, rising development costs need for a ready source of income, the r the citrus industry has been slow. Co f. Figure 66. Citrus, vegetables and cotton are products in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. Conservation Service. filled this need during 1951-53 when nearly ths of the cropland was planted to this - ith the return of acreage» allotments in j search for profitable alternatives was re- ,The production of vegetables had saturated et at about 150,000 acres. The seriousness jtuation is indicated by the big increase in ighum, a low-income crop. The 1954 acre- fin sorghum at 142,000 was seven times the age. The present acreage is about double '{ acreage. ite the great loss in citrus production, crop unted for more than 94 percent of the all sales in 1954. Cattle sales, 3.6 percent, tin importance. Dairy and poultry sales accounted for only slightly more than 2 fof all sales. 81 percent of the farms in area 9 were commercial. These commercial farms con- percent of the land resources. Commercial * e 85 percent cotton, 4 percent vegetable rcent fruit and nut farms. In 1949, prior iastrous freeze, more than 14 percent of the l- fruit farms. Minor types included general percent; livestock farms, 2 percent; and f“: 1.7 percent. No other type represented l 1 percent of the commercial farms. e developments in the area seem to depend jailability of a dependable supply of good igation water. This must come, for the the Rio Grande. Much depends on the lof citrus production. If the Lower Valley l f; former position in citrus production, some essure on the vegetable market would be It also would take up some of the slack decreasing cotton acreage allotments. In isiwith an average growing season of more days, there always is the possibility that op may be introduced. The avocado is L the most attention at this time. It has ijket possibilities and about the same cold _[ and development costs as citrus. The lley is probably the one remaining area f nited States with a good potential for production. 5_Cotctl Bend ;Coastal Bend comprises all of four counties i, of three others. The soils are predomi- k colored clays and clay loams and are iductive. The annual rainfall, which aver- t 30 inches, is sufficient most years for I of cotton grain sorghum. athan 3 percent of the crops harvested in _ from irrigated land. The Robstown water hich involves about 4,500 acres subject to a, has water available at the discretion of of Corpus Christi which has prior rights ,l.~ River water. Extended periods of drouth ‘gt at least, from conservation of the flood Figure 67. Flat land and mile-long rows encourage large scale cotton and grain sorghum production in the Coastal Bend (area l0). These two crops account for more than 90 percent of the harvested cropland. on the Nueces watershed usually mean cutting off water to the district. Small streams and reservoirs supply a very limited amount of water. Some ground water is used for irrigation, but much of it is con- sidered too poor in quality for continuous use. The area has an average frost-free period of about 300 days, but there is a range of more than 100 days between the longest and shortest. Physical characteristics of the area are especially favorable to the use of large-scale, multi-row equip- ment. Its flat surface, large farms, large fields and mile-long rows make efficient operation possible. It was in this area that the all-purpose tractor was tested and first distributed. Before acreage control programs were initiated in 1933, the Coastal Bend was a highly specialized cotton-producing area with more than 80 percent of the cropland in cotton. By 1954, cotton occupied only 36 percent of the har- vested cropland while sorghum grain accounted for 55 percent. Flax made up 3.5 percent, hay and forage 4 percent and winter vegetables 3 percent, principally onions and cabbage. The vegetable acre- age, which has been reduced greatly in recent years, usually is double-cropped with either cotton or grain sorghum. Since 1954, the cotton acreage has been further reduced and the grain sorghum acreage in- creased. The Coastal Bend is primarily a cash crop area. The sale of crops made up 93 percent of the value of all products sold in 1954 ‘and field crops, almost entirely cotton and grain sorghum, accounted for about 99 percent of all crop sales. Cattle are the only type of livestock of major importance. Cattle sales accounted for almost three- fourths of the value of livestock and livestock prod- ucts sold. Most ‘of the poultry and dairy products consumed in the area are brought in from adjoin- ing areas. 39 Figure 68. Much of the land in the West Cross Timbers is eroded badly and is used only for grazing. Courtesy, Soil Conservation Service. Although cotton represented only 36 percent of the harvested cropland and grain sorghum 55 per- cent, more than 78 percent of the commercial farms were classed as cotton and only 8 percent as cash grain farms. Minor types included livestock, 5.6 percent; general, 4 percent; and poultry farms, 2.3 percent. Trends in the area are toward fewer and larger farms, less cotton and vegetables and more grain sorghum and beef cattle. The average farm size has more than doubled since 1930. The 1954 cotton acreage was about half that of 1930, while grain sorghum increased from less than 8,000 to 332,000 acres. Farmers of area 10 probably will continue to plant as much cotton as permitted, with grain sorghum still the principal user of cropland. The area has a large potential for winter vege- table production. During World War II, a peak of more than 70,000 acres was reached, but in the face of slackening demand and drouth, it declined to about one-fourth of this amount by 1954. Should the demand warrant and winter moisture permit, " the acreage planted to vegetables again would in- crease substantially. Realization of this potential would be furthered by the development of an ade- quate and reliable supply of good quality water for irrigation. This, in turn, would make the area a reliable source of vegetables for the market. The chance for such a development seems remote in view of the rapidly growing need of water for domestic P; .. Figure 69. Peanuts are the principal cash crop in area ll. They are grown mostly on the light sandy soils. Courtesy, Soil Conservation Service. 40 ' grown on the typical Cross Timbers soils. and industrial consumption. This area, I would present a favorable situation if an ec. process of converting salt water couldbe d Area 11, West Cross Timbers g The West Cross Timbers includes la “ of eight counties and small parts of sever The soils range from sands to sandy loams and in natural fertility and highly erosive. Min sions of the Grand Prairie are found in m counties included in this area. Much of grains and cotton reported from these c0 grown on prairie land. i The surface ranges from gently rollin rolling with large amounts of rough, stony some parts of the area. The native vegeta sists mainly of bunch grasses, oak trees and c Area 11 lies at the western limits of t I region with. an average annual rainfall of inches. The frost-free period averaged y: days. Almost 85 percent of the land in thy counties is in farms, but only slightly one-fourth of the farmland is classed as l More than a third of the cropland was pasture only in 1954. Altogether about 8 of all land in farms is grazed. Area ll is primarily a livestock are‘ than 80 percent of the value of the 1954 farm sold was accounted for by livestock and»; products. Cattle sales alone account for percent; dairy products, 24 percent; p0 f, poultry products, 10 percent; and hogs, 5 ~ the value of product sales. The Fort W Dallas markets draw large quantities of milk _1 from the area. Hogs are kept primarily t mast in the woodlands and waste in peanut Peanuts are the only important cash cr on the more typical sandy soils. They och, percent of the harvested cropland in balance of the sandy cropland is used l,’ grazing and harvested forage crops. Croppi on the prairie soils in these eight counti resemble those on the adjoining Grand Prai are based mainly on small grains, grain sor; cotton. Less than 60 percent of the farms in I were classed as commercial in 1954. The f farms were 48 percent livestock, 14 percent. percent peanut, 12 percent general and r poultry farms. Minor types were cotton fa cent, and cash grain, 2 percent. A few mostly watermelons, and fruit farms, mostl} and pecans, also are found in this area. i Before World War I, area ll was an cotton producing area. Cotton was the source of income. Today practically no .1 13,000 acres were reported in the eight 1958 as compared with more than 300,0f 1929 and more than 500,000 acres in 1924. titute cash crop has been found, although ‘nt crops have been tried. During and after World War II, the demand for _louraged greatly expanded production of ’ t the acreage has since declined to pre- Farmers remaining on the land have Livestock production and to off-farm em- There were more than three times as glows in the area in 1954 as in 1929, and limes as much milk was sold. Almost 57 it, e farm operators did off-farm work in -five percent had outside income which ir farm income and 38 percent worked days off the farm. Indications point to . ;'0n of these production patterns, with luction increasing slowly and cash crop decreasing. g -- d Prairie 11d Prairie lies directly west ht the Black- iyprises a large part of 10 counties and Of l2 other counties. It is divided into t the Brazos River. The soils are primarily y loams which range from highly produc- pnds and gently rolling prairie to shallow, steep slopes. A large part of the latter pith live oak and shin oak brush. rage annual rainfall is 30 to 35 inches age length of the growing season is 225 inorth and 240 days in the south part of 12a, sometimes called the Fort Worth“ J10 the north, and has mainly open and _; to rolling land. rkets provided by the metropolitan areas lth and Dallas have encouraged the pro- fvestock products. The sale of livestock ucts make up about two-thirds, and the one-third, of the total value of farm .0 percent of the land in farms is classed l Crops were harvested from about 73 . e cropland while another 20 percent was ure only. Fifteen percent of the 1954 pland was in cotton. Cotton is grown ttomland and on the deeper and more A rairie soils, but more intensively on the of Blackland which spills over the tdaries of four counties. it of the harvested cropland is devoted to on of grain and forage crops. Corn and together occupy less than l0 percent zted cropland. About 44 percent was in of which more than two-thirds was in ‘ all grains are especially adapted to the and drouthy soils since they usually e spring before the hot, dry summer. i ovide winter grazing for livestock. Hay it forage accounted for 26 percent of the pS. Figure 70. Native pasture, small grains and forage crops occupy 90 percent of the land in farms and serve as a basis for important beef and dairy enterprises in sub-area 12a. Courtesy, Soil Conservation Service. The cropping system described and the large amount of native pasture adequately complement the livestock systems of the area. Dairying is by far the most important livestock enterprise. The value of dairy products made up more than 29 percent of the value of all farm products sold and 45 percent of the value of all livestock and livestock products sold. Cattle sales alone accounted for 34 percent of the livestock and livestock product sales. Since more than one-third of all cows on farms and ranches in sub- area 12a are dairy cows, a substantial part of cattle sales may be credited to the dairy enterprise. Less than 53 percent of the farms in 12a were classed as commercial in 1954. These commercial farms were well distributed as to type of farming. Twenty-six percent were livestock farms, 19 percent dairy, 16 percent general, l4 percent cotton, l3 per- cent cash grain, 8 percent poultry, 3 percent other field crops, mainly peanut farms located in the East Cross Timbers portion of these counties, and l per- cent vegetable farms. Figure 71. Beef cattle, sheep and Angora goats utilize the rough, stony, brush-covered lands on the stock farms and small ranches in sub-area 12b. Courtesy, State Highway Department. 41 counties and parts of six others. Trends in the agriculture of sub-area 12a reflect the growth of the urban population. Gropland has decreased 23 percent and row crops 61 percent since 1929, while close-seeded crops, including cropland pasture, increased almost 60 percent. There were almost five times as many beef cows, while milk sales were three times such sales in 1929. Other types of livestock either decreased in importance or, as in the case of poultry, barely maintained 1929 levels of production. Ready access to the large markets provided by rapidly growing Dallas and Fort Worth indicates that sub-area 12a will make further shifts from cotton and cash grain production to more livestock with special emphasis on dairy and poultry production. Sub-area 12b lies between the Brazos and Colo- rado Rivers and comprises the main portions of six It represents the more rolling, broken, stony and brush-covered por- tion of the Grand Prairie. It is sometimes referred to as the Lampasas Cut Plain. Livestock production dominates the agriculture in sub-area 12b even more than it does in 12a. The sale of livestock and livestock products made up almost 85 percent of the total value of agricultural products sold in 1954. However, the greater distance from large city markets has resulted in much less intensive production systems. Although 12b has almost 5O percent more land in farms and ranches than 12a, the total value of agricultural products sold was only 60 percent of the value of such products sold in 12a. The value of crop sales was only 30 percent and the value of livestock and livestock prod- ucts sales was 80 percent of the value of such sales in 12a. As compared with 12a, it had the same value for poultry products, one-tenth the value for its dairy products and about 50 percent more for other live- stock and livestock products, mainly cattle, sheep, goats, wool and mohair. Because of the type of grazing available in sub- area 12b, sheep and goats make up a large part of the livestock population. About 85 percent of the land area is in farms and ranches of which only 23 percent is classed as cropland. Crops were harvested from less than two- thirds of the cropland in 1954. About one-fourth of the cropland was used for pasture only. The same crops are grown as in sub-area 12a, but in different proportions. ~ Small grains, mainly oats, made up 47 percent; cotton, 12 percent; corn, 11 percent; grain sorghum, 8 percent; and forage and hay crops, 18 percent of the harvested cropland. Further evidence of the smaller influence of the large city markets, including off-farm job opportuni- ties, in this part of the area is found in the greater proportion of the farms classed as commercial. Where- as only slightly more than half the farms in 12a were classed as commercial, almost three-fourths of the farms in 12b were so classed. 42 Classification of the commercial farms Y confirms the importance of livestock pr the agriculture of the area. Livestock f ' than dairy and poultry account for 67.5‘ general farms, 12.5 percent; poultry, 6.7 pe I dairy, 2.8 percent of all commercial farms. p‘ types, mainly cotton and cash grain, made 10.5 percent of commercial farms. h The trend in the agriculture sub-ar been toward more extensive types “of farmi i land decreased 24 percent and harvested; 47.5 percent during 1929-54, while the -, land grazed increased more than 12 per i cotton acreage decreased 84 percent, corn, 6, and small grains, 23 percent. Only grain,‘ and forage crops increased during this pe 1 acreage in these crops is about double _ acreage. , The trends in livestock reflect the de percent in the numbers of farms since 1 cows decreased 61 percent and hogs 33 per, tendency has been to increase the beef cat and Angora goats, while poultry, altho‘ specialized, has held closely to the 1929i’ production. i The trend toward larger farms and _, sive systems of production is expected to ii sub-area 12b. There will be less cash tion while the production of forage crops ‘ types of livestock may be expanded furth Area l3. Blackland ; The Blackland area comprises all 01 25 counties. Several have entirely Blacklan most of them also have portions of shag soils characteristic of the Grand Prairie v5 and light sandy soils typical of adjoinin; the east. The type of farming tends t0 l these different soils. a‘ Since the county is the smallest unit agricultural statistics are available, the ove tion of the area is modified by these differ’ example, farms on the Grand Prairie are t much less land in cultivation, produce w’ grains, much less cotton and much m0 _ than farms on the Blackland. On the g to the east of the Blackland, farms are s If of the land is grazed, there is more pr specialty crops, such as watermelons, to r; peanuts, and much less cotton. On the true Blackland, there are soil which also affect the land use. The area. many streams. On the more sloping land, - age has removed much of the top soil, an land more subject to drouth. Much of < used for the production of winter grains o to be grazed. In 1954, more than a milli" cropland in area l3 were being used for i of pasture. The smoother, deeper soils on g between streams and the well-drained te bottoms along streams are heavily cropped-i ggfeed crops, such as corn and grain sorghum. ‘Lwhere individuals could control sufficient adjustments on this type of land have been wrge-scale cash-crop production. =jgray lands which lie along the east side of ,_ land generally are less rolling, less subject .5 j and not as well drained as other Blackland ‘ese lands are being shifted rapidly to grazing, jops and to livestock production. .113 is naturally divided into two main parts. rea 13a, the larger part, comprises all or l counties of which 82 percent, or 9,392,000 _farms. About 57 percent of the farmland iiva-tion. Only 73 percent of the cropland ited in 1954., More than two-thirds of the was in annual pasture or in the process ment for use as permanent pasture. Since has been less than 2 percent reduction in , t of land in farms while the amount of gdeclined about 21 percent. During this rod, the cropland harvested was reduced is still the principal user of cropland and efcash-crop in sub-area 13a. In 1954, cotton almost 29 percent of the cropland, corn, ‘t; small grains (mostly wheat and oats, 11 ay and forage sorghum, 12 percent; and um, 6 percent. Since the introduction of ‘pain sorghum has increased to an acreage Q1 to that of corn. tjrow crops and toward the production of I“ god crops, such as small grains, hay and graz- The combined cotton, corn and grain jreage in 1954 was less than half the acreage Y s harvested in 1930. A further substantial in the cotton acreage has occurred since s than 20 percent of the cropland was in .1958. If the land taken out of cultivation med to be in pasture is included, about i» acres, or more than half of the cropland ilaas been shifted to close-seeded crops such - ains and hay or to pasture crops. shifts in land use form the basis for a toward beef cattle production. The '3 cows kept mainly for beef has increased .11 times the number in 1930. Milk cows, have decreased to about 61 percent of the ber. Hogs have decreased only slightly. Egg decreased in about the same proportion numbers, while chicken sales have in- four times the 1930 number. Half the =les occurred “in McLennan county, an im- filer area. ll-[CCHHC in milk cow numbers and in egg jsto be related closely to the decrease of Q in the number of farms since 1930 and “d toward more specialization in dairy and tion- A substantial increase in the produc- f-ow and the loss of the butter market to ftrend in crop production has been away, Figure 72. An air view of a typical Bl.ackland landscape. Note the numerous streams and drainage ways. Erosion accelerated by row crop farming is a major problem in the area. Courtesy, Soil Conservation Service. vegetable oils also have influenced the decrease in the number of milk cows. Despite declines in crop production, crop sales accounted for 65 percent and all livestock and livestock products sales only 35 percent of the value of farm products sold in area 13a in 1954. However, this represents a substantial shift since cotton and cottonseed alone made up 95 percent of the value of farm products sold in that area in 1930. Fifty-eight percent of all commercial farms in 1954 were classed as cotton farms, 16 percent live- stock, 10 percent general, 5 percent cash grain and 6 percent dairy and poultry farms combined. Sub-area 13b comprises, parts of four counties. A substantial part of each county is sandy, oak-covered land. About 89 percent of the land area is in farms, but only 27 percent of the farmland is in cultivation. Most of the oak-covered land in these counties is in pasture. Cotton is the only important cash crop. It occu- pied a fourth of the harvested cropland in 1954, but had been reduced to less than 15 percent by 1958. Forage crops (sorghum and hay) made up another fourth of the harvested crops while corn and sorghum grain were harvested from the major, part of the remainder. Sub-area 13b is located strategically between two large markets, Houston and San Antonio. With most of their land in pasture and feed crops, farmers have naturally turned to intensive systems of livestock pro- duction. The sale of livestock and livestock products made up more than two-thirds of the value of all farm products sold in 1954. Poultry and eggs alone accounted for a third of all sales while dairy products and cattle sales made up most of the remaining third. The oldest broiler area in Texas centers in Gonzales county. Emphasis in the other three coun- ties is on egg and dairy production. The sub-area as a whole. has the densest cattle population of any part of the State. 43 Figure 73. By increasing the size of their farms and by shifting cropland to improved pastures, area 14 farmers have been able to develop beef production as a major enterprise. Courtesy, Soil Conservation Service. Despite the emphasis 0n livestock production, there are more cotton farms than any other type. Cotton farms comprised 39 percent of all commercial farms in 1954. Other important types were general farms, 22 percent; livestock, 19 percent; poultry, 13 percent; and dairy farms, 5 percent. No other type represented as much as 1 percent of the commercial farms. In both sub-areas 13a and 13b, commercial farms represented 69 percent of all farms in 1954. Trends in sub-area 13b have been away from cash crop production and toward more grazing and forage crops and more livestock. The 1954 cotton acreage was only one-fourth of the 1929 acreage and the acreage of hay and coarse forage was almost double the 1929 acreage. During the same period, all types of livestock increased substantially. These trends are expected to continue in response to the growing markets in Houston and San Antonio. Area 14, East Texas Farming The East Texas farming area comprises 24 coun- ties and includesabout half of the region known as the East Texas Timberlands. Pine timber inter- spersed with hardwoods cover much of the land not Figure 74. Dallas and Houston provide ready markets for the growing commercial dairy enterprise in area l4. 44 in cultivation and persistently encroach, . cultivated area. The surface of this area is ing to rolling. Its typically sandy soils fertility, but respond well to fertilizers. It as a small farm area with small irregular sha” on which small, simple machines were used Because of its physical characteristics, if tion and other technological; developments adopted more slowly thanxiia other areas. _ a number of significant trends are taking play people have left the farm and many others i; part-time empoyment in response to bett‘ ment opportunities that began with the the East Texas oil fields in 1930 and conti wartime activities and postwar industrial de The reduction in the number of farm fa in surplus farm labor has contributed to s changes in the agriculture of the area. p trend toward larger farms, a shift of cro‘ pasture and the use of the additional past ,3 production and commercial dairying. ti small farms have turned strongly to broil tion. Rural electrification and farm-to-m p have contributed to increased opportunitii and poultry production. Industrial develo high-level employment within the area areas around Dallas, Houston and Beau k‘ provided a strong market for these produc The number of farms in the area percent during 1930-54. Of the farms ufi 1954, 63 percent were classed as part-tim, dential, while 55 percent received more their income from other than farm sources. The commercial farms were classed cotton farms, 30 percent; livestock, 28 perceni ll percent; poultry, ll percent; dairy, 9 per, field crops (mostly peanuts and sweet y percent; and vegetable, 4 percent. Despite the loss in number of farms an: in farm population, the overall population‘ counties increased during 1930-50. Six c which the larger towns are located gain while the other 18 counties declined 65,000 i tion during this period. Oil production a‘ ing and the accompanying industrial dev have served to hold people in the area. Sixty-five percent of the land area o, counties is now in farms. A large part of not in farms is forestland. Approximatelyi of the farmland is classed as cropland. O cent of the cropland was harvested in '2 represents a decrease of more than 72 perc vested crops since 1930. Slightly more the cropland was used for pasture. More thirds of the land in crops in 1930 has will, in about equal amounts to temporary and 5, pasture. a p‘ Even more drastic changes are taki ;. crop production. Harvested cropland decri 3,287,000 acres in 1929 to 911,000 in 1954. a _is decrease was in cotton and corn acreage. ease in the combined acreage of these two Lleeded the decrease in the acreage of harvested he difference was made up by increases in ins, hay and forage crops and in vegetable n. The continuance of these trends is indi- further decreases in the cotton acreage since 1958, only 101,000 acres of cotton were in the 25 counties. This is less than 5 per- e 1929 acreage, as compared with 11 percent 1 More than half of the 1958 cotton acreage f r counties, Red River, Hopkins, Van Zandt lton, which have some Blackland or bottom- on which cotton is grown. of the land in this area is being returned i, ees. Approximately 60,000 acres were con- der the conservation reserve during 1956-59. Forest Service distributed almost 90 million l ings for planting during 1949-58 which is to plant 100,000 acres. Many of these seed- not survived, but the magnitude of the indicate the amount of interest in reforest- g we- tock production expanded as crop produc- ned. Beef cow numbers increased more than fduring 1930-54. Commercial dairying and production also increased. Both of these A have become highly specialized. The n farm numbers has been accompanied by he number of milk cows and chickens kept ‘use. Whole milk has replaced butter and ‘has the principal product sold. The trend A production has been toward market egg in some cases and to broiler production _' The leading broiler area in Texas centers ‘oches and Shelby counties. Most of the e produced under contract with feed deal- e has been some contracting of turkey pro- this area in recent years. Hogs, a minor in the area, have tended to decline in with very little tendency toward specializa- eased interest in livestock production has jecided increase in the quality and produc- s-ealltypes of livestock in the area. i illsale of livestock and livestock products in up 65 percent and crop sales only 35 per- __e value of all farm products sold. Crop ably will decrease in importance in farm gCrop production may be limited to specialty _h as watermelons, tomatoes, peppers and ' t0 feed crops (mostly forages) grown in ff livestock production. Increasing indus- may draw flmore people from farms or '1 tside employment for farmers and members ymilies. Cotton production may disappear yas the few remaining gins deteriorate from siness and are abandoned. The less favor- Jed land may be planted to trees or be per- Figure 75. Another adjustment taking place in the agri- culture of area l4 is the planting of old fields to pine forests. Courtesy, Soil Conservation Service. are typical of this area seemed destined mainly for use as pasture or forest and perhaps as both in some cases. Area 15, East Texas Timber The East Texas Timber area, comprising l2 counties, lies entirely within the pine-covered portion of Southeast Texas. The soils are sandy except for small isolated prairies and the river bottoms where heavier soils predominate. Most of the cotton pro- duced in the area is grown on these prairies and in the river bottoms. The humid climate is favorable to rapid growth of the timber which covers 75 to 80 percent of the land area. This is a minor area from the standpoint of agriculture. In 1954, about one-third of the land area was in farms, 80 percent of which was in wood- land or permanent pasture. More than half of the land classed as cropland was used for pasture. Most of the land not in farms is held in large tracts by lumber interests. These lands have provided free range for the production of cattle and hogs. Lumber and oil production and related activities provide the return to forest naturally. The lands that . Figure 76. Timber production and processing are major activities in area l5. Courtesy, Soil Conservation Service. 45 Figure 77. Newsprint in the raw state. Pulpwood ready for delivery to the rapidly growing paper industry in area 15. Note the chain saw to the right of the driver. Courtesy, Soil Conservation Service. main sources of income to the people of the area. Agriculture mainly serves to hold a supply of labor in the area for use in these activities. Almost three- fourths of all farms were classed as part-time or resi- dential in 1954. The interest in agriculture tends to increase or decrease with changing employment oppor- tunities. Slightly more than 40 percent of the commercial farms in this area were classed as cotton farms, 27 percent as livestock, 17 percent as poultry, 7 percent as dairy and 7 percent as general farms. Present farming resembles that of the East Texas farming area. Cotton, corn and forage crops, mostly hay, dominate the cropping systems. There is little production of specialty crops. The area also grows a small, Widely distributed acreage of peanuts and vegetables. The trend in crop production has been. sharply downward. The total cropland has decreased only 20 percent since 1930, but harvested cropland has decreased 66 percent. Most of the unharvested crop- land is being converted to pasture. The decrease in the combined cotton and corn acreage exceeded the decrease in harvested crops. The difference was made up by increases in the forage crops, mainly hay. The continuance of these trends is indicated by the fact that the cotton acreage has been reduced by more than 50 percent since 1954. Cattle and hog production has come mainly from the free range supplied by the forests of the area. Under these conditions, there has been little incentive to improve individual herds, and a low quality prod- uct has resulted. There has been increased interest in herd improvement during recent years and a trend away from the free range to confinement on indi- vidual ranches. There has been an increase of almost 6O percent in farmland, a decrease of 24 percent in farm numbers and a decrease of 66 percent in har- vested crops since 1930. Most of this change has taken place since World War II. For example, the number of farms of 1,000 acres and more increased 74 percent 46 i centrated feeds in the area. Q while the acreage of these large farms inc ‘ percent during 1945-54. 3 A considerable acreage in this area not in farmland) is being reforested. T‘ Forest Service alone distributed approxi million pine seedlings for planting during l number sufficient to plant 100,000 acres,- interests in this area have added many mor of seedlings to the reforestation effort. 4,000 acres were contracted under the co i reserve program during 1956-59. Accompanying these changes, beef cowgf in 1954 increased to almost three times on farms in 1930. Milk cows decreased abi portion to the decrease in the number Specialized commercial dairies increased i‘, and size, however, as in other parts of the ; The most drastic changes have been i poultry production. The number of hogs? decreased almost 60 percent during 1930-‘, decline is attributed to the loss of inter, range-type hog and to the small productii Poultry increased substantially both r duction and for meat production. Here trend is toward specialization. In 1954, ‘ 60 percent of the eggs sold came from farmst- poultry made up 50 percent or more of the I of farm products. The average flock siz, farms suggests the probability that a of the egg producers are part-time farmers. Nearly 23 times as many chickens weri the farms of this area in 1954 as in 1930. Th; and eastern counties contribute substanti production of the East Texas broiler centers in area 14. The "production of concentrated on 3 to 4 percent of the area‘ The sale of livestock and livestock u; up almost 75 percent of the value of all fa sold in 1954. The sale of broilers accouni percent; dairy products, 15 percent; and stock, mainly cattle and hogs, 27 percent o; of products sold. ~ This area seems destined for lower cr tion, particularly cotton, less livestock on more land in forests and moderate increases, production and commercial dairying. Area l6. Post Oak p; This area consists of nine counties and} the oak-covered portion of the East Tex lands. Scattered through the area are mil land prairies with fairly productive soi 1i rivers, including the Trinity, Brazos and‘? cross or border the area, and the better drai lands along these streams are very produ more typical soils are sandy and of two one of deep sand with porous subsoils of shallow sandy loams with dense, slowly: subsoils. These sandy soils are low in ‘in those with dense subsoils are subject to ye extreme changes in soil-moisture relation- iddition to the loss of more than half of the l f farms since 1930, this area also has declined population. Brazos county, in which the llege of Texas is located, gained over 16,000 ring 1930-50. Population losses in the other nties, however, totaled 48,000 during the jiod. 55 percent of the farms in the area were commercial in 1954.. Forty percent of these lion farms, 35 percent livestock, 12 percent percent poultry and 3 percent dairy farms. , e cotton produced in the area is grown on Wmlands and prairies. Some watermelons, patoes and peanuts are grown on the deep It most of this land and practically all land subsoils is grazed. y percent of all land in area 16 in 1954 was i; but only 28 percent was classed as cropland. it percent of the cropland was harvested in ore than 60 percent of the land in farms p cropland is classed as woodland, most of _ sed for pasture. Despite the fact that census found about 25 percent more farmland an in 1930, there was 20 percent less crop- A954. Harvested cropland decreased 55 per- g the same period. ‘iugh the acreage of cotton harvested was percent of the 1930 acreage, it made up y, J percent of the harvested crop acreage in _ e acreage of corn and grain sorghum to- ” aled the cotton acreage. These three crops g for more than three-fourths of all harvested ijide from a small acreage of vegetables and iost of the remaining harvested crops were orage crops. §trend in land use has been to. shift crop- it row crops to pasture and to close-seeded l» hay crops. Eighty-two percent of the crop- iin row crops in 1930, as compared with less in 1954. If we assume that the land classed as cropland was returned to pasture e cropland which was used only for pasture find that 687,000 acres, or 56 percent of i; at was in crops in 1930, have been returned ‘We believe that this acreage would be had the census of 1930 been more com- i} ing the same period, forage sorghum and 0m 30,000 to 91,000 acres. In addition to d from cash crops to pasture, grazing re- being increased substantially by clearing, " tilizing anti: other forms of pasture im- t anges in land use are reflected in the 1 livestock production. The number of beef if 4 was more than six times the number in lt cows decreased in numbers, but not in i to the decrease in farm numbers. As in 4 . . 1 ' 1 Figure 78. More than 80 percent of the land in farms in area 16 is grazed, mainly by beef cattle. other parts of Texas, commercial dairying has in- creased as milk cow numbers declined with the farm population. Hogs are a minor enterprise in the area and the number in 1954 was not significantly different from the number in 1930. A high percentage of the hogs are kept to utilize the acorns and other natural food in this area’s woodlands. Poultry, like dairying, reflects the trend toward specialization. The trend is toward broilers and turkeys in the northern part of the area and toward egg production in the southern part. In 1954, the return from farm products was about evenly divided between crop sales and the sales of livestock and livestock products. Cattle and hogs (mainly cattle) account for 60 percent of livestock and livestock products sold. The trends reported appear to continue. For example, the cotton acreage in the area decreased another 50 percent during 1954-58. An increasing proportion of the cotton acreage is being concentrated in the river bottoms and irrigated. The minor prairies are slowly moving toward a grazing economy. It seems inevitable that all upland, both sandy and prairie, eventually will be devoted to pasture and forage crops. An exception may be the continued use of limited acreages of deep sands for the produc- tion of specialty crops. The bottomlands will con- tinue to produce cotton to the extent permitted. With continuing restrictions on cotton production, the use of these lands also will trend toward some system of livestock production. Area 17. Coast Prairie The Coast Prairie comprises a strip of low lying, practically flat land bordering the Gulf of Mexico and extending northeastward from the Guadalupe River to the Louisiana line. Wide differences in soil type, rainfall, conditions of drainage and in industrial development have resulted in mixed types of farming. The soils that have agricultural significance are roughly classed into three groups: dark clays and clay loams, light colored sandy soils and the alluvial soils 47 Figure 79. Seed, fertilizer, insecticide and herbicide are distributed commonly by planes in the production of rice on the Coast Prairie. Courtesy, Soil Conservation Service. laid down by the Brazos, Colorado, Trinity and other streams which flow through the area. The average annual rainfall ranges from 35 inches in the west to more than 5O inches in the east. Until systematic drainage is provided, large portions of the area can be used only for grazing. Irrigation is practiced extensively in this area, but it has been limited mainly to rice production. The drouth years of the early l950’s and the placing of restrictions on rice acreage in 1955 were followed by a lively interest in the irrigation of cotton and other crops. The principal source of irrigation water is the streams that cross the area. However, about 25 percent of the irrigated acreage is watered from wells. Water conservation and the regulation of flow on the main streams through the construction of dams have added substantially to the amount of irrigation water available. Industrial growth and the accompanying popula- tion increase provide a large and rapidly expanding market for farm products. For more complete description, the area is divided into two parts. Figure 80. Rice is the principal cash crop on the Coast Prairie. Self-propelled combines and two-wheeled auger carts permit harvesting in wet fields. Rice farmers com- monly pool their equipment to speed up the harvest. 48 Sub-area 17a includes seven counties incl. rainfall (45 to 5O inches) portion of the Galveston, Harris and Waller counties 62 percent of this portion of the area is i, There is a large acreage of marshy lands wt mainly as a wildlife refuge and provide sca i for livestock. ~ Forty-three percent of the Lfarmland is cropland, but only 41 percenticof the cro, harvested in 1954. Most of the unharveste is associated with rice production and is ~ not in rice. This is what is generally knO rice-pasture rotation. The acreage of cro harvested in 1954 was more than twice tf of rice harvested. This rice-pasture rotatio g for more than 82 percent of the available p. Cotton and corn together used less than 5 § the cropland, while hay and sorghum fora percent. No other crops used as much as of the cropland. Despite the emphasis on pastures, the sa (mostly rice) accounted for almost 74 vf livestock and livestock products 26 percent o; value of farm products sold in 1954. dairy products made up almost half, and ' more than a third of the total value of livf livestock products sold. ; Only 35 percent of the farms in 17a w: as commercial. These were: cash grain percent; livestock, 26 percent; dairy, l3 ton, 12 percent; poultry, 8.5 percent; gen cent; and vegetable farms, 5 percent. Despite the restrictions on crop prod _ ing the past 25 years, both the acreage and of cropland harvested have been 17a. This is the result of rapid expansi, production during and after World War; record of rice production is one of almost af expansion during the war and postwar pe» ing mainly from the disruption of prod’ distribution of rice in the Far East. This of rice production ended with the retu ments in 1955. The rice acreage in 195, 6O percent of the peak acreage reached inf Since 1930, the trend in land use in =1 been toward more rice, pasture and fora greatly reduced cotton and corn productif also has been an intensification of producti —more fertilizers and insecticides, and 0th, capital. In addition to restrictions on cot i rapidly growing industries have competed The main part of industrial developm Coast Prairie has been in this part of th population has more than doubled since ‘.2 has not been, however, a corresponding the production of truck crops and other _ which usually accompany a rapid popula Accompanying these changes in Ian cattle have doubled their numbers and dairying has expanded. There has been pf, i 1.x gproduction, while egg and pork production _sed. The demand for these products and part of the milk consumed is met by ship- other areas. f has been a slight decrease in the number ce 1930. Almost two-thirds of the farms _ 1954 were part-time or residential farms. half of all farms received more than half Come from off-farm sources. l: of its natural features and the influence liexpanding industry, the rice-pasture rota- Lily will continue to dominate the agricul- ': part of the Coast Prairie. __a 17b includes all or parts of nine coun- ers from sub-area 17a in that the average gall is less (35 to 45 inches), the drainage t better and agriculture plays a much more ilmle in the economy of the area. As in a, agriculture has expanded since 1930. 86 percent of the land is in farms, with , ird of the farmland in cultivation. About ifof the cropland is harvested. more than half of the Texas rice crop in 17b, rice occupied only one-third of y- cropland. Most of the cotton produced tPrairie is grown in 17b. It accounted nt of the cropland, as compared with 20 i'ce. Corn, grain sorghum, hay and other i make up most of the balance of the har- e and. The rice-pasture rotation uses more the cropland. There is some shifting of [row crops and vice-versa. The production - d other row crops tends to be concentrated clays and clay loams and on bottomlands. j n on any of the typical upland soils where jater is available. ind in land use has been from permanent in opland and from row crops to the rice- rtion. The cotton acreage decreased about and the corn acreage 25 percent during i increase in the grain sorghum acreage ade up for the decrease in corn acreage. f cage expanded to almost six times that le hay and forage increased about 50 per- ther decrease in the cotton acreage of iird has occurred since 1954. The rice own about 40 percent, but the grain sor- (probably in response to the introduc- "ds, and to restrictions on rice and cotton has increased to about four times the and is now the leading feed grain crop ttle have more than doubled in number. ‘w hog production have held their own, ease in milk cows has been proportion- than the decrease in number of farms. . ,dairying has increased, judging from the p milk. Figure 81. Row crop production centering around cotton constitutes the major use of the better drained dark clay and bottomland soils in sub-area 17b. Coast Prairie farmers have had more experience with mechanical cotton pickers than any other group in Texas. The value of farm products sold in 17b in 1954 was almost twice that of l7a. Crop sales made up almost 80 percent of the sale value of all farm prod- ucts. The sale of livestock other than poultry and dairy products (mostly cattle) was about three-fourths of the total value of all livestock and livestock prod- ucts sold. a The extent to which agriculture dominates the economy of 17b is reflected in the very slow popula- tion increase since 1930. The nine counties had gained only 46,000 people by 1950. About half of this increase was in Brazoria county and reflects its nearness to the Galveston-Harris county industrial complex. In contrast with 17a, almost 71 percent of the farms in 1954 in l7b were classed as commercial. About 59 percent of these commercial farms were cotton farms; 20 percent, livestock; 9 percent, cash grain or rice; 6 percent, general; and 4 percent, poultry farms. This part of area 17 has long been considered to have the greatest potential of any part of Texas for rice, cotton and beef production. Tremendous amounts of any one or all of these commodities could be produced if the need arose. Proper drainage and irrigation would greatly enhance the area’s produc- tivity. Further rapid industrial growth probably will develop because of its great mineral and water re- sources and its favorable location with respect to transportation. Competition for labor will remain keen. This will tend to favor the rice-pasture rotation to the extent the demand for rice will permit. If we assume mechanical harvesting of cotton, the same reasoning would apply to cotton. Therefore, it is concluded that agricultural developments in 17b will depend largely on what happens to the demand for rice and cotton. Rice, cotton and cattle will continue to be the main products of the area, while the produc- tion of milk, poultry, eggs and truck crops will con- tinue to be limited by industry’s competition for labor. 49 IMPLICATIONS FOR THE. FUTURE l It is certain that the agriculture of Texas will continue to change. The forces that caused so much change, during and since World II, are still operative. A large amount of adjustment is still to be made. Research and social and economic change throughout the world constantly releases new forces which will result in further adjustments in Texas agriculture. As these changes occur, rural and urban economic and social activities become more closely integrated. Increasing population, industrial growth providing competition for farm labor, highway development, rural electrification, consolidation of schools and churches and improvements in communication already have tended to minimize or erase cultural differences and bring rural and urban interests closer together. These trends will result in a somewhat smaller farm population, more specialization, fewer and larger commercial farms, more part-time farming and rural residents, more off-farm employment for farm opera- tors and members of their families and more inte- gration of production and marketing functions. 50 This concentration of people and cc‘ social functions in urban centers made p, marketing through super-markets. Thi leads to the standardizationpf products the qualities demanded by the consumer. l- As in the past, success and even surviv ing will depend to a large extent on the- farm operators to keep themselves informej change and to adjust their operations -' Adjustments will not be easy because of rate of change in the forces affecting agri u to the difficulties involved in transferring-j capital from one farm enterprise to anot agricultural to non-agricultural uses. if These continuing adjustments will relative importance of the various types within Texas and within the type-of-f f Because of wide differences in physical .5? the delineations of the areas should rema". constant. [Blank Page in Original Bulletin] i rum STATION Q nrs SUBSTATIONS I nrs rm.» IABORATORIES A coorrmrxxc STATIONS Location oi iield research units oi the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station and cooperating agencies ORGANIZATION OPERATION Research results are carried to Texas farmers, ranchmen and homemakers by county agents and specialists of the Texas Agricultural Ex- tension Service 306161” ,6 Kéfiealfk ~96 VOITlOPPOM/Z P09 '- State-wide Resear The Texas Agricultural Experiment St‘ is the public agricultural research w oi the State oi Texas. and is one parts oi the A&M College oi Texas. A IN THE MAIN STATION, with headquarters at College Station, are , matter departments, 2 service departments, 3 regulatory servi administrative staff. Located out in the major agricultural areas ~< 21 substations and 9 field laboratories. In addition, there are 14 I stations owned by other agencies. Cooperating agencies includ Forest Service, Game and Fish Commission of Texas, Texas P j U. S. Department 0i Agriculture, University of Texas, Texas College, Texas College oi Arts and Industries and the King ‘Q experiments are conducted on farms and ranches and in rural l1, THE TEXAS STATION is conducting about 4-00 active research proj in 25 programs, which include all phases of agriculture in Te ' these are: “ Conservation and improvement oi soil Beef cattle Conservation and use oi water Dairy cattle Grasses and legumes Sheep and goats Grain crops Swine .7; Cotton and other fiber crops Chickens and turkeys, Vegetable crops Animal diseases and’ Citrus and other subtropical fruits Fish and game a Fruits and nuts Farm and ranch en' Oil seed crops Farm and ranch bus‘, Ornamental plants Marketing agricultur 1 Brush and weeds Rural home economi Insects Rural agricultural cc Plant diseases I Two additional programs are maintenance and upkeep, and ceni AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH seeks the WHA i‘ WHYS. the WHENS. the WHERES and the HO hundreds oi problems which confront oper iarms and ranches. and the many industries d ing on or serving agriculture. Workers oi the g Station and the tield units oi the Texas Agri - _ Experiment Station seek diligently to find solu these problems. 1