The Great Central Plains, often referred to as the Great Plains, presented significant challenges to successful crop farming prior to the late nineteenth century. A key reason for this was the region's arid climate, with limited rainfall that made traditional agriculture difficult. Additionally, the soil composition was not always conducive to farming, and there was a lack of infrastructure for irrigation and transportation.
Furthermore, technological limitations in farming equipment and practices meant that settlers were unable to efficiently cultivate the land. The introduction of steel plows and other agricultural innovations in the late nineteenth century, along with the development of railroads for transporting goods, contributed to the eventual success of farming in this region.
Therefore, a statement that correctly evaluates this situation would be: "Successful crop farming on the Great Central Plains did not expand before the late nineteenth century due to the region's arid climate, inadequate agricultural technology, and lack of infrastructure for irrigation and transport."