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SOIL SURVEY OF KAUFMAN COUNTY, TEXAS 9 AGRICULTURAL HISTORY AND STATISTICS The history of the agricultural development of Kaufman County closely parallels that of the entire Blackland Prairie of Texas. The early agriculture, beginning with the first settlement about 1840, included cattle grazing on ranches on the prairies and scattered pioneer farming on the forested lands. These agricultural activities rapidly gave way to the present cash-crop system of cotton farming. In the earlier period the prairies constituted an excellent range for cattle. It is reported they supported from 100 to 150 head to the square mile. The native grasses cured on the ground to furnish winter feed, and prairie hay was available for emergency feed during poor growing seasons. Adequate water was obtained from creeks and branches. There was no practical way of fencing the prairies before the introduction of barbed wire, and the heavy soils were difficult to work with the draft animals and tillage. implements available at that time. Railroad transportation was not available, and farm products had to be hauled in wagons to distant markets. The soils of the prairies therefore were not farmed but were more valuable as ranch land, as the cattle were transported to market readily by driving. The forested soils were almost worthless for grazing, but they furnished a supply of wood for buildings, fuel, and fences. This forested land was easily cultivated and was well suited to produce food crops required for home use. The crops consisted largely of corn produced for food for man and beast, native prairie hay, garden vegetables, a little wheat for flour, some oats, and a small quantity of cotton. With the construction of the Texas tenancy increased from 59.7 to 79.4 percent of the farms; and the average acre yield of cotton decreased from approximately 220 to 150 pounds of lint. Nearly all of the decrease in the average acre yield of cotton occurred prior to 1919. The cotton boll weevil first became injurious to cotton about 1905. A marked increase in the acreage devoted to feed crops took place between 1929 and 1934, although it did not offset the decrease in the production of cotton. Crops were harvested from about 50,000 fewer acres in 1934 than in 1929. Tenancy decreased slightly to 75.2 percent. Table 2, compiled from the United States census reports, gives selected crop data for Kaufman County. 194626-40---2
Map displays soil types, creeks, lakes, towns, churches, schools, roads, railroads, and Texas Land Office survey lines. Includes legend and symbols. A polyconic projection, North American Datum. "Horizontal control by Texas State Reclamation Department. 10000 foot grid based upon Texas (North central) system of plane coordinates."
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Templin, E. H. (Edward Henry) & Huckabee, J.W. (John Walter).Soil survey, Kaufman County, Texas,
book,
June 1940;
Washington D.C..
(https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth19775/m1/11/:
accessed April 26, 2024),
University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu;
crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.