THE OCCUPATION OF THE LAND 141 



has been removed, "cut-over," which composed nearly 

 one-third of the State's area.^ These are largely un- 

 productive stump tracts, increasing, it is estimated, 

 at the rate of 100,000 acres each year.^ At a time 

 when it is difficult to retain Michigan farmers on 

 improved lands in the most favorably situated sec- 

 tions of the State, these northern cut-overs have not 

 proven very attractive to those in quest of land to 

 till. Of late, however, there has been a consider- 

 able influx of grazers, chiefly from the depleted ranges 

 of the West, to whom free pasturage for a period of 

 years with the final option of purchase at a low 

 price is given. The abundant summer forage, in- 

 sured by seldom failing summer rains, the presence 

 of water and favorable proximity to the Chicago 

 market have interested a considerable number of 

 these grazers; and when the problem of winter feed- 

 ing has been squarely met through the growth of 

 winter forage by the grazers themselves, an increas- 

 ing demand for these stump lands may be looked 

 for. 



Aside from these deforested regions are consider- 

 able tracts of wet lands, only Florida, Mississippi, 

 Louisiana and Arkansas exceeding Michigan in the 

 possession of such areas. ^ The counties in the Lower 

 Peninsula below latitude 41 degrees are credited with 



' Estimate of F. Roth, Professor of Forestry, Univ. of 

 ^licli., "Rpport of the Public Domain Commission," Jan. 9, 

 1920, p. 5.55. 



^Tanette: "Michigan's Millions of Idle Acres," Detroit, 

 1920. p. .32. 



* Miller and Simons: "Drainage in Michigan," p. 17. 



