The Devils Lake world and inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1915-1920, 1915-11-18
100000 ACRES
OF LAND FOR SALE
Vast Domain Available From
Which Homeseekers May
Choose Locations.
IS OF THE VERY BEST
No School Lands Can Be Sold for
Less Than $40 Per Acre-Largest
Part Of Available Land 10
Privately Owned.

The total land area of North Dakota,
including the Fort Berthold reserva-
ton, is 4~4,736,477 acres. OF this prob.
ably five per cent is untitled for profit
able cultivation. There would thus
42,500,0 900 acres suited for
farming purposes. According to the
latest assessors returns there are
rs, 794,373 acres contained in farms,
of which 16,229,792 acres are actually
under cultivation. This would indicate
that about 100000 acres remain in
the state which do not come under the
classification of farms but yet are
arabic land.
1t would seem to be a fair assump-
ton that the uncultivated portion of
the land contained in farms is needed
by the farmers themselves for in.
creased farming operations or for
grazing purposes so that this acreage
is not readily available for home.
seekers, except as the present holders
may desire to sell. The acreage then
that would be of special interest to
the newcomer seeking a location for
farming purposes would be that area
of 600, 900 acres of arabic land not
contained in farms.
Available Land.
The most recent figures obtainable
from the United States land Offices In
the state show but 493,667 acres sub
jcct to homestead entry July l, 1915.
an insignificant item when considered
in comparison with the 16,7O3, 800 sub:
ject to homestead entry in 1890. The
only land, then, in North Dakota to be
obtained free is the 493,667 acres
above referred to, copGeeiivably the
least desirable tracts, and all other
land hereafter acquired in the state
will have to be acquired in one of the
following ways:
l. BY entry and purchase Of Fort
Berthold lands as the same are de.
clared open to settlement by the Unit.
ed States government. Lands thus
available, 10000 acres.
2. BY purchase on contract from
common school and institutional land
grants. Lands thus available, 1,7O3,.
143 acres.
3. BY purchase from private own
ers. Lands thus available, 14,8S6,857
acres.
The foregoing calculation is made
upon the assumption that 5 per cent
Of all lands in the state are unfit for
cultivation, leaving 16,700,000 acres
available for farming purposes.
Public Lands.
Under heading No. 1 the govern.
ment announced that the surface
rights Of approximately 10000 acres
situated in the Fort Berthold Indian
reservation would be opened to entry
at Minot, Bismarck and Plaza, N. D.,
from October Is to 80, 1915. Tracts
will be entered in 16O-acre lots and it
is thought there will be roc for
about $50 homesteaders. The method
Of assignment will probably be by lot
terry, but no entries will be allowed
nor can homestead rights be acquired
before May /, 1916. after which date
they will be received in the order of
the numbers held by applicants.
Institutional Lands.
Under heading No. 2 no land is ad-
vertised for sale until the same has
been appraised at $40 per acre or
more, and no land can be sold for
less than its appraised value and in
no cas- for less to $40 per acre. The
latest report of Commissioner Frank
8. Henry of the state land department
shows that 1,703,143 acres of common
school and institutional land are yet
unsold. A leaaet issued by him for
the information of the general public
should be in the hands of every pro-
spectfve buyer.
The only land sale now advertised is
In Morton county, the opening date set
being for December 10, 1915, and
$4,000 acres will be offered. Sales
will be held next spring in Sargent,
Cass, Steele and Walsh counties, the
dates to be fixed later.
Privately Owned Lands.
AS headings Nos. 1 and 2 cover the
only methods by which land can be
acquired in this state other than by
direct purchase, and the areas so pro.
durable r known definitely from
public records, the remaining II,
sS6,857 acres Of the assumed avail.
able arabic area Of the state OF
49, 900 must, Of necessity, be pri.
vately owned. This being the case,
the conclusion seems unavoidable that
the day Of low-priced agricultural
land in North Dakota has gone by.
and that hereafter its price will be
based upon its capacity for producing
%proftably. instead Of upon the large
area available, as was formerly the
case.
The per capita production on the