The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1914-11-17

flarged homestead tracts In almost
every case are being taken up by
those who already have had exper-
fence in taking up government land
and have been awaiting these new
provisions.
A considerable amount of addition
al land will also be available for set
Element in tracts which have been ex-
cluded form national forest reserves
in New Mexico, Utah and Idaho: also
a considerable tract formerly a part
of the Grow Indian reservation in
Montana. as ). Z. sg 4
The man OF woman who desires to
take up government land first must
find out the locations of the free
lands in the different states. A letter
of inquiry addressed to the Commits
sioner Of the General Land Office.
Washington, D. c.. will Civ the To-
cation of these lands. but will not give
any information regarding their cli-
matte conditions or available crops.
But the department of agriculture is
ready to supplement the work of the
land office by supplying any desired
Information regarding the probable
products of land in any part Of the
United States. The department will
so still further to hold the homestead
er, in that 1t will suggest crops and
give full directions regarding their
cultivation, A considerable part Of
these new lands are adapted to graz
ing and sheep raising, and full infor-
nation regarding such productions
are to be secured. But, even with
these aids the homesteader who has
had no experience as farmer will
have SO many difficulties to encounter
that, according to the estimates OF
land agents long in the field. only 4
small percentage will be able to se-
cure titles.
A homesteader is required to es-
tablish residence upon Ills tract of
land within six months after entry
and to maintain this residence for q
period Of three years. He is permit.
ted to absent himself fom the land
Tor period Of five months during
each year, but must leave record J..
the time Of leaving and return in the
local land office. Cultivation of the.
land Is required. AT least one-six-
teenth must be under cultivation dur
ing the second year and one-eighln
during the third year and until final
PROOF. Homesteaders who have al
ready taken up their 100 acre tracts
may, under the new act, secure adj
Joining tracts, provided that their en-
tire acreage does not exceed $50 acres
OF frea land under the present laws.
This Is to prevent the seizure of large
tracts OF land by any one person and
TO give the benefits of the homestead
laws to as many persons as possible.
The money spent upon reclama-
much to help the homesteader.
Through this service. land which was
not previously available to the home
steader can be made to yield a suf-
ficient support for his family In a
comparatively short time. Millions
OF dollars are being expended upon
irrigation projects. Most Of this
money has been received from the
sale OF public lands in states in
cluded in the lists, although now the
receipts from the water rents OF the
lands irrigated by the complete pro-
Jects have materially added to this
fund.
The money spent upon reclama-
ton service is not free gift to the
homesteaders. It is only loaned
from the sum of money obtained
from the sale of reclamation lands
in those states. II does not come out
of the general treasury. Every dol
lar expended in irrigation will be re-
funded from the sums paid in annu-
ally by the people whose land is ben
Gifted by this irrigation.