Texas Almanac, 1945-1946 Page: 135
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GEOLOGY-PHYSIOGRAPHY. 135
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.. ... . T ,' , "exas-Wheat field near M ew tt
Northern Texas--Wheat field near Muenster, typical of north central and northwest sections.lying immediately below the Balcones Es-
carpment in its southern portion. Pecan,
walnut and other timbers along streams. It
is the most intensively cultivated unirrigated
area in Texas, except possibly a portion of
the High Plains. However, erosion and steady
cotton cultivation of the past have taken
much of the original fertility from the soil.
Other principal crops are corn, oats, grain
and sweet sorghums, and, in the north end,
wheat. In recent years feed crops and live-
stock raising have gained at the expense of
cotton acreage. Limestone soils excellently
adapted to dairying. Many sheep introduced
in recent years. Rural population per square
mile is higher in this area than any other
excepting possibly small sections of the South
Plains and the Corpus Christi area. Oil pro-
duction from several fields. Clays and lime-
stones are utilized. Dallas is the principal
city within this belt. Paris, Sherman, Deni-
son, Greenville, Corsicana, Waco, Temple and
Austin are in this belt, and Fort Worth Is on
Its western edge. There is much farm ten-
antry throughout the belt, though much less
than a decade ago. There is a large Negro
population, both urban and rural, In the
central and northern portions of this belt.
II. NORTH CENTRAL PLAINS
This Is the physiographic province lying
between the Blackland Prairies on the east
and the Cap Rock Escarpment, which bounds
the Great Plains, on the west. It slopes up-
ward from about 700 feet elevation on the
east to a maximum of about 2,500 on the
west, at the foot of the Cap Rock. Partly
timbered in the east, it is largely prairie. Its
principal subdivisions are as follows:
1. Grand Prairie. An area of limestone
soils, largely prairie, running just west of
Waco and Fort Worth from Central Texas
almost to the Red River. Elevation 500 to
1.000 feet. Temperature comparable to Black-
lands. Rainfall 25 to 35 inches. Of thinner
limestone soils than the Blacklands, this area
Is more broken, traversed in some parts by
flat-topped hills. Principal timber pecan and
other hardwoods along streams. Cotton,
wheat, oats, corn, grain sorghums are grown,
but livestock raising and dairying principalindustries. Excellently adapted to dairying,
which has expanded rapidly in recent years.
Limestone quarried for stone, lime and Port-
land cement. Clay products. Fort Worth is
the principal city. Waco lies on its eastern
boundary, Denison and Gainesville at its
north end.
2. East and West Cross Timbers. A narrow
band running from the Red River between
Dallas and Fort Worth, the East Cross Tim-
bers extend as far south as the southern part
of Hill County. A sandy and red clay soil
wedged between Blacklands and Grand Prai-
rie, the belt is too small to have economic
significance, except that it is excellently
adapted to truck growing for Dallas, Fort
Worth and other cities along its course. Post
oak is the principal timber. It is connected
by a narrow band along the Red River with
the West Cross Timbers and the Main Post
Oak Belt to the east. The West Cross Timbers
extend from the Red River in Montague
County to Burnet County with varying width
as far west as the eastern part of Coleman
County. Post oak and blackjack are the pre-
vailing timbers, but there are wide stretches
of mesquite lands and prairies, and areas of
hills and low, flat-topped mountains covered
with cedar. Elevation 800 to 1,700 feet. Tem-
perature a little lower than Grand Prairie.
Rainfall 27 inches on west to 32 on east.
Diversified farming on the soils which range
from dark loams to sandy and sandy clays.
Cotton, corn, forage, melons, peanuts, peaches
grown. Much grazing land for livestock, and
timbered country affords browsing for goats
which are being introduced. Extensive poul-
try raising and dairying. Several large oil
and gas fields in this area. Large coal de-
posits were mined before oil was discovered.
Number of brick plants. Principal cities are
Brownwood, Breckenridge, Eastland, Cisco
and Ranger, but Fort Worth to east of this
belt is principal market and distributing
point.
3. Burnet-Llano Region. Also known as the
Central Basin and Central Mineral Region,
this is a small area lying principally in Bur-
net and Llano Counties. Elevation 600 to
1,600 feet. Climate usually mild but exposed
to cold northwest winds of winter. Rainfall
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Texas Almanac, 1945-1946, book, 1945; Dallas, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth117166/m1/137/: accessed May 5, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.