Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1883-11-01

when the law only requires ten. These
trees are thirty feet high, planted in rows
north and south half mile long
Within mile is solid trac, OF twenty
acres of box elders, twelve feet high. grown
trom the seed sown where tG,ev stand. and
in a half day'sride ten claims were passed.
all the young trees showing a good growth
Still further west. and beyond that imagin-
ary rain line, numbers of timber claims
were found. and the trees were AS flourish
ing as those two hundred and fifty miles
eastward. Colonel j. FL. Roe, OF Kearney,
commenced in 1874. and has now $4,000
trees of cottonwood. maple, ash, walnut,
and box elder OF all sizes up to forty feet
high and thirty inches in circumference, suf-
ticient 10 keep tive or three families in fuel:
and the trees and land are worth three times
the cost and labor OF planting. The man
who says trees will not grew on the prai-
ries. and grow just as well as corn and po-
tatoes, is wilfully ignorant Of the facts.
What has been said about the western por-
State, AS well AS those sections of Kansas
and Dakota. which have been settled since
the act became law; and it was one OF
the greatest benefits ever conferred upon
the prairie country. There is no more land
stealing under this than under the home
stead act, and as far as il applies to citizens
it is much more general in its benefits The
latter requires the claMant to live on the
land for term Of years before he could OBJ
tain title.
The timber claim ia epea to the doctor,
the lawyer. and in fact all classes Of citizens,
the only requirement being that ten acres
OF the land shall be plowed. cropped and
planted with trees, that they shall be cult
waited and protected, and il this is not done
no one can get title. Many are blowing
strip around quarter section and plant
ing, which is great advantage to the ad-
jacent lands, preventing the force of the
wind and driving snow. Others who have
claims in connection with homesteads are
putting the whole into timber and seeding
with tame grasses, combining protection
and winter pasturage. Some say the doctor
or the merchant have no right to the bene-
fits OF this act, Tot it might be difficnlt lor
them to tell why the mechanic, the hired
man or the hired girl should not have
square piece of the public domain which is
offered, if they cemply with the terms and
plant trees In ninety-nine cases out of q
hundred, where new settler in town no
matter what his occupation, takes timber
claim, he becomes interested in getting what
he has looked forward ts-the possession of
him permanent settler, and any one who
knows anything about the settlement Of
new Western towns knsws there is great
difference between fixed settler and one
who is liable to drift about according to
fancy or circumstances.
Upsn inquiry, | find that large number
of timber claims are taken by townspeople,
who pay the farner settlers near by for
the breaking. blowing, and cultivation,
planting and protection against fires. By
this both parties become interested and BEN
etitted by the transaction. In the Neobrara
land district in the Northwestern portion Of
the State, 100000 acres are entered, and
100000 in the adjoining Neigh district an
der the lumber act. Ex-Governor Furnas
in recent address before the National Ag-
ricultural CoHvcstion, estimates the total
number of trees planted in this State from
1854 to 1882, inclusive, at 100000 900. The
whole West is interested in the continuation
of the lumber culture act. 1t sheuld net be
repealed, but perhaps amended, SO that q
tract ence filed on, though the entry might
be- cancelled for nonfulfillment of the law,
>i'l it -hsuld always remain tor the purposes
timber culture. and not be open for
homestead entry or pre-emption.- Chicago