

THE TREASURE STATE 



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 21 5 



Threshing on Productive Bench Lands. 



FINAL PROOFS AND PATENTS. 



Year 



1911 



1912 



1913 



1914 



1915 



Acres 



final proof 



522,269 



629,835 



1,475,722 



2,667,632 



2,358,665 



Acres 



patented 

 1,187,312 

 742,230 

 2,342,923 

 3,485,067 

 3,994,418 



According to the last report of the Commissioner of the General Land Office, 

 dated July 1, 1915, there yet remains in Montana more than 19,000,000 acres of unre- 

 served and unappropriated public land, over half of which is suitable for farming. In 

 the greater part of this area homesteads embracing 320 acres may be "taken up." 

 The homestead laws have been recently made much more liberal. Formerly the 

 homesteader was required to live continuously and uninterruptedly for five years upon 

 his claim before he could perfect title. Under a recent act of congress the required 

 residence on a homestead is reduced to three years, each year of which the home- 

 steader may, if he so desires, have five months' leave of absence. The homestead 

 law gives the ambitious a chance to secure a home at the mere expense of nominal 

 filing fees. Unmarried women, as well as women who are the heads of families, 

 have the same rights as men under the homestead law. 



Montana, more than any other state in the Union, spells Opportunity for 

 the ambitious farmer who wants to get ahead. The public domain of this state 

 offers an exceptionally brilliant chance for the young man just starting out in life 

 for himself or for the tenant who has grown tired of paying rent and desires to be- 

 come a freeholder. More than 19,000,000 acres of free public land may be had in 

 this state for the asking. It is Uncle Sam's gift to those of his citizens who are 

 willing to contribute to the development of the nation by making productive broad 

 acres which now are barren. The present federal homestead laws have been greatly 

 liberalized within the past few years and it is now possible for any ambitious man 

 or woman who owes allegiance to the United States government to secure title to 

 320 acres of public land by residence and cultivation of only three years. 



