Ranching and Farming Chapter 18

Cattle First Came to Texas With the Spanish in the 1500’s

The Spanish Built Ranches in South Texas

Texas is Ideal Cattle Country Climate Climate Water (Rivers) Water (Rivers) Nutritious Grass Nutritious Grass

Some Cattle Escaped & Quickly Multiplied …

Longhorn Cattle Introduced by the Spanish Introduced by the Spanish Tall Rangy Animals Tall Rangy Animals Some w/ 6 ft. Horns Some w/ 6 ft. Horns Perfect Survival in the South Texas Desert … Perfect Survival in the South Texas Desert …

Spanish Language Influence Vaqueros/(cowboys) Vaqueros/(cowboys) Corrales Corrales Rancheros/(ranchers) Rancheros/(ranchers) Ranchos Ranchos Lariat Lariat Chaparajas Chaparajas (“Chaps”) (“Chaps”)

Eventually, Anglo-American Ranchers Moved Into Texas Before the Civil War The Ranching Industry Grew in the Gulf Coast, the Piney Woods, and the Red River Regions

The King Ranch Richard King Richard King Early Rancher Early Rancher New Yorker New Yorker Friend Mifflin Kennedy Friend Mifflin Kennedy Bought a Spanish Land Grant – Santa Gertrudis Bought a Spanish Land Grant – Santa Gertrudis 15, 500 Acres That Later Swelled to a Million Acres 15, 500 Acres That Later Swelled to a Million Acres

Challenges to Early Ranchers Theft Theft Drought Drought Lack of Markets Lack of Markets

Cattle Slaughter Hides (Skin = leather) Hides (Skin = leather) Meat & Tallow/Fat Meat & Tallow/Fat

In Search of Better Markets, Cattle Were Initially Driven to Louisiana, Ohio, and California

Markets Open Up Post Civil War Wild Herds Grew … Wild Herds Grew … People in the Northeast Paid Up to $40 a Head People in the Northeast Paid Up to $40 a Head Railroad Expansion Railroad Expansion Economical $ Trail Drives – Few Cowboys, Many Cows Economical $ Trail Drives – Few Cowboys, Many Cows On Drives, Cattle Fed on Spring Grasses On Drives, Cattle Fed on Spring Grasses Post Civil War stockyards included St. Louis & Chicago Post Civil War stockyards included St. Louis & Chicago

The JA Ranch Charles Goodnight Charles Goodnight John Adair – Irish John Adair – Irish Palo Duro Canyon Palo Duro Canyon 1 Million Acres 1 Million Acres 100,000 Cattle 100,000 Cattle Best Beef Cows in the U.S. Best Beef Cows in the U.S. Goodnight Buffalo Herd Goodnight Buffalo Herd

Shoe Bar Ranch Thomas Bugbee Thomas Bugbee ,000 Acres 450,000 Acres

XIT RANCH Financed in Part By British Investors Financed in Part By British Investors The Building of the Texas State Capitol Was Financed By the British The Building of the Texas State Capitol Was Financed By the British

Horses Were Valuable Animals “Mustangers” “Mustangers” Wild Spanish Mustangs or Mestenos Wild Spanish Mustangs or Mestenos Imoportant Part of the Texas Livestock Industry in West Texas Imoportant Part of the Texas Livestock Industry in West Texas

Sheep Raising Mainly in South Texas Mainly in South Texas Heavier Eastern Sheep Were Bred With Lighter Mexican Sheep = Doubled Weight & Tripled Wool Heavier Eastern Sheep Were Bred With Lighter Mexican Sheep = Doubled Weight & Tripled Wool Mexican Shepherds or Pastores Mexican Shepherds or Pastores Shearers or Tasinques Shearers or Tasinques Drovers drove the sheep to market Drovers drove the sheep to market

George Wilkins Kendall 5000 Acre Ranch Near Boerne, TX 5000 Acre Ranch Near Boerne, TX Problems With Disease, Drought, and Natives Problems With Disease, Drought, and Natives Encouraged People to Come to Texas to Raise Sheep Encouraged People to Come to Texas to Raise Sheep Cattle Ranchers & Farmers Complained Cattle Ranchers & Farmers Complained Sheep Trampled Crops and Cropped Range Grass Too Short Sheep Trampled Crops and Cropped Range Grass Too Short

Cattle Trails Sedalia/Shawnee Trail Sedalia/Shawnee Trail Chisholm Trail – the most popular Chisholm Trail – the most popular Great Western Trail Great Western Trail Matamoros Trail Matamoros Trail Goodnight-Loving Trail (to Colorado) (not pictured) Goodnight-Loving Trail (to Colorado) (not pictured) Trail Map on textbook Trail Map on textbook p. 415 p. 415 Missouri was avoided Missouri was avoided (farmers feared Texas Fever) … (farmers feared Texas Fever) …

Life Along the Trails Day Began at Dawn Day Began at Dawn Cowhands Surrounded the Herd Cowhands Surrounded the Herd “Chuck Wagon” Noon Meal “Chuck Wagon” Noon Meal Miles a Day Miles a Day Up to 3,000 Cattle Up to 3,000 Cattle Night Watch – “Riding Herd” Night Watch – “Riding Herd”

People on the Trail 8-12 Cowhands 8-12 Cowhands Trail Boss Trail Boss Cook Cook Horse Wrangler (Each Cowhand Had Several Horses) Horse Wrangler (Each Cowhand Had Several Horses)

Trail Driving Ended Shortly After 1885 Supply Was High, Demand and Prices Fell

The Decline of the Cattle Drives Barbed Wire Barbed Wire Quarantine Quarantine Rise of Railroads, Eliminating the Need For Long Drives Rise of Railroads, Eliminating the Need For Long Drives

Barbed Wire 1873 – Several Inventors 1873 – Several Inventors “Pricked” Only “Pricked” Only Cheaply Made Cheaply Made Easy Installation Easy Installation J.F. Glidden J.F. Glidden Fenced Off the Plains Fenced Off the Plains “Fence-cutting Wars” “Fence-cutting Wars” A Felony … A Felony … Ranges Were Fenced By Mid-1880’s; sparked decline of DRIVES (difficult …) Ranges Were Fenced By Mid-1880’s; sparked decline of DRIVES (difficult …)

Windmills Pumped Water From Wells; Fenced Cattle Could Now Find Water

The Ranching Industry Declined in the Late 1880’s Too Many Cattle, Overgrazing, Prices Fell, Ranchers Were Bankrupt

Science Later Helped Ranching “Management”/ Selective “Management”/ Selective Breeding Breeding Angus Angus Shorthorn Shorthorn Brahman Brahman … Decline of the wild Longhorn … Decline of the wild Longhorn

Farming in Texas After the Civil War Farmers Helped Texas Grow Into A State Dotted With Small Towns by the Late 1800’s …

After the Civil War, Many Farmers Came to Texas Most African-Americans Became Farmers After the Civil War

Farming on the Rise Post Civil War – Settlers Poured Into TX Post Civil War – Settlers Poured Into TX Vast, Cheap Land Vast, Cheap Land New Techniques: New Techniques: - Windmills - Windmills -“Dry Farming” -“Dry Farming”

Dry Farming In West Texas & Panhandle In West Texas & Panhandle Plowing Left Loose Soil on Top of the Ground … Plowing Left Loose Soil on Top of the Ground … Loose Soil Kept Water in the Ground Longer – Slowed Evaporation … Loose Soil Kept Water in the Ground Longer – Slowed Evaporation …

Railroads Encouraged Settlement Along Routes Encouraged Settlement Along Routes Towns Like Abilene, Big Spring, Amarillo, Childress & Fort Worth Grew Along Rail Lines Towns Like Abilene, Big Spring, Amarillo, Childress & Fort Worth Grew Along Rail Lines People Came; Towns Grew People Came; Towns Grew Schools, Churches, Roads, & Businesses Followed … Schools, Churches, Roads, & Businesses Followed …

Important Farming Towns Abilene developed along the Texas and Pacific Railroad line Abilene developed along the Texas and Pacific Railroad line Amarillo developed along the Fort Worth and Denver Railroad line Amarillo developed along the Fort Worth and Denver Railroad line

“King” Cotton Most Important Crop in Texas Most Important Crop in Texas Had Spread Rapidly All Over the State Had Spread Rapidly All Over the State Railroads Were Important in Cotton Farming Railroads Were Important in Cotton Farming Better Access to Markets Meant Higher Profits Better Access to Markets Meant Higher Profits

Other Important Crops Honey - #1 in the Nation … Honey - #1 in the Nation … Sugarcane Sugarcane Rice Rice Wheat Wheat Corn Corn Oats Oats

Proceso Martinez Introduced the Following to Farmers in the Rio Grande Valley: Introduced the Following to Farmers in the Rio Grande Valley: Cotton Cotton The Modern Plow The Modern Plow The Corn Planter The Corn Planter (They Already Had Corn …)

Farming Hardships Farmers Unfamiliar With the Land Farmers Unfamiliar With the Land Grasshoppers Grasshoppers Drought Drought Sometimes Hard to Make a Profit – a Surplus (Excess/Extra Crops) Meant Lower Prices Sometimes Hard to Make a Profit – a Surplus (Excess/Extra Crops) Meant Lower Prices

The Tenant System of Farming Replaced Slavery Smaller Farms Replaced Vast Plantations Smaller Farms Replaced Vast Plantations Some Farmers “Rented” Smaller Farms = Tenant Farmers Some Farmers “Rented” Smaller Farms = Tenant Farmers As a Payment For the Use of the Land, the Landowner Received Crops or Cash From Tenant Farmers As a Payment For the Use of the Land, the Landowner Received Crops or Cash From Tenant Farmers

Farmers Who Did Not Supply Their Own Tools Were Called Sharecroppers

Tenant System A “Barter” System Where Labor Was Swapped For a Commodity in a Time of Little $ Circulation

Tenant Labor, Tenant Farmers Poor Farmers Poor Farmers Children and Teenagers Children and Teenagers Former Slaves Former Slaves Difficult Life Difficult Life Hard Labor Hard Labor Difficulties: Drought, Panics, Overproduction, Pests, Debt Difficulties: Drought, Panics, Overproduction, Pests, Debt 1/3 of Texas Labor in /3 of Texas Labor in 1870