The soil here is Miller fine sandy loam, created when a fine layer of sediment was deposited over a deeper layer of clay during flooding of the river. Prior to settlement, this soil would have supported a forest of pecan, ash, oak, elm, and hackberry trees with an understory of vines, shrubs, and coarse grasses. Beyond the forest was the prairie, a sea of grass that once covered most of the county and supported large herds of cattle raised for market. When Lamar purchased the site, 135 1/2 acres fronting the river had been cleared for cultivation, and one year later another fifteen acres had been cleared. The soil here is easily cultivated, drought resistant, and supports a variety of crops and vegetables. The fertility of the Brazos River valley was often compared to that of the Nile in Egypt. Continuous clearing during Lamar's time for agricultural development, and in later years for urban development, eliminated the original landscape.