The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1873-11-06
GENERAL NATuRE-No. 1861
AN ACT to encourage the growth Of timhsg on
western prairies.


AN ACT to encourage the growth Of timhsg on
western pralries
Be it enacted By the Ssnete and House Of Repre-
sentati1es Of the United Satss Of America in one
gress assembled. That any person who shall plant,
protect, and keep in d neal.hy growing condition
for ten years forty acres OF limber,. the trees
there not being more than twelve feet apart
each way, on any quarter-sectlon of any Of the
public lands Of the United States, shall be onti-
tied to patent for the whole Of said quarter.
section at the expiration of said ten years, on
making proof OF such fact by not less than two
credible witnesses Provided That only one
quarter in any section shall be thus granted
SEC That the person applying for the bene-
fit OF this shall, upon application to the reg
lister OF the land Office in which he or she is
about TO make such entry make affidavit before
said register receiver that said entry is made
for the cultivation of timber, and upon fling
said affidavit with said register and receiver and
payment Of zen dollars, he or she shall tn ere
upon be permitted to enter the quantity of land
specified Provided, hoveOer, That no certificate
shall be given or patent issue therefor until the
expiration OF at least ten years from the date of
such entry; aud il at the expiration of such time,
or at any time within three years thereafter, the
person making such entry, or if lie or she be
dead, his Or her heirs or legal representatives,
shall prove by two credible witnesses that he, she.
or they haye planted and for not less than ten
years have cultivated and protected such ouanti-
ty and character Of timber as aforesaid. thew
shall receive the patent for such quarter section
Of land.
, SEC That If at any time after the ling OF
said athdavlt, amt PRIOR to the issuing of the
patent for said land, it shall be proven after due
notice to the party making such entry and claim
| ing to Cultivate such mber to the satisfaction
OF the register of the land-offce, that such per.
son has abandoned or failed to cultivate. protect
and keep in good condition such timber, then. and
IN that event. said land shall ever: to the United
i States.
| SEC. 4. That each and every person who. I'm
der the provisions of an act entitled s'An act te
| secure homesleais to actual settlers on the pub
lie domain" approved May twentieth. eieh.
teen hundred and sixty two, or any am ndmen
thereto, having homestead on said public do
main, who, at the end of the third year of his OF
her residence thereon. shall have had uIder cul.
tivation, for two years, Que acre of timber. the
trees thereon not being more than twelve feet
apart each way, and in good thrifty condition
for each and every sixteen acres Of said home.
stead shall, upon due proof of said fact bytwc
oreaiole witnesses, receive his or her patent for
| said homestead.
Seq. s. That no land acquired under rrovis.
ions Of this act shall, in any event. become lin.
pl7 2 the satisfaction Of any debt or debts con-
tracted prior to the issuing of patent therefor.
SEC. o. That the Commissioner Of the General
Land-ofice is hereby required to prepare and
issue such rules and req, ations, consistent with
tins act as shall be necessary and proper to car
ry lts provisions into effect; and that the regis
ters and recei ers of the several landofces snail
pc entitled to receive the same COMPENSATION for
any laIds entered under the provisions Of this
mat tfey are now entitled to receive when the
| same quantity of land is entered with nancy
SEC: Z. That the fifth section of the sct ent;.
tied can act in addition to an act to npn;sh
crimes ganss the United States, and for othe,
purposes, approved March third, eighteen hun.
dred and fifty seven, shall extend to ali oath.
affrma,ions, and aftdavits required or au,horiz
- ny thi-a ''fe -
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