Historic Midland

Cotton Is King for
Midland County Farmers
By Charles W. Green
The cultivation of land for crop production
in Midland County was first carried out by
ranchers who farmed small acreages in feed
crops and grew some vegetables and fruit in
home gardens and orchards.
One account credits Zachary Taylor Brown as
being the first person to cultivate a field in
Midland County, having planted pumpkins and
watermelons on land located eight miles south
of Midland in the year 1890.
The first farming as an independent enterprise
was reported to have begun about 1905.
The citizens of Midland attempted to encourage
the development of farming in Midland about
1907. They subscribed $7,500 for the purchase
of a section of land east of the city near the Texas
& Pacific Railroad. They made an agreement
with W. H. Campbell of Lincoln, Nebraska, a
recognized expert, to farm the section according
to his methods for a period of five years. During
that time, he was required to produce half a bale
of cotton per acre, 25 bushels per acre of corn,
oats and wheat and also grew alfalfa, milo
Maize, Kafir corn and other forage crops. If the
agreed production goals were met every year for
the five years, the farm would become the property
of the Campbell Soil Culture Company. In
addition, the farm was to be kept open to visitors
at all times and all information gained was
to be free to everybody living in Midland
County.
At first it was thought Midland County
would not raise cotton on account of the altitude.
The secret is that frost comes to Midland
30 days later than it does in Houston, giving the
late bolls ample time to form. A farmer tried it
recently and had remarkable success.
The development of farming in Midland
County followed the pattern of other western
Texas areas where farmers gradually moved
westward into domain long utilized solely by
cattlemen. The first agent for the Cooperative
Extension Service was assigned to the county
in 1909.
Methods of soil preparation were soon developed
that contributed to the prevention of soil
blowing and the conservation of soil moisture.
Usually, the land was left untouched until
spring, as the crop residues and other plant
remains tended to check wind erosion. If the
land was plowed in the fall (when moisture conditions
permitted) it was ridged at right angles
to the prevailing wind direction. Methods to
reduce soil blowing consisted of listing or deep
breaking to keep the surface of the land rough
or cloddy and the immediate breaking of crusts
after rains. Farmers soon discovered that if soil
drifting started in any part of a field it quickly
spread over the entire field. If this occurred and
moisture conditions permitted they immediately
cultivated or listed any spots as soon as they
started to blow.
In 1911, W. J. Moran completed the first irrigation
well; one that produced 2,000 gallons
per minute. Henry Halff, a pioneer rancher and
❖
Top: John Valentine Pliska and the
airplane he built in his blacksmith
shop in 1912. The plane was restored
by George T. Abell and is now housed
at Midland International Airport.
Middle: Cotton storage barn located
east of Midland used by all area
farmers in the early 1900’s.
Early Midland: City of Windmills | 31