1921-22 DEPARTMENT OF LANDS AND FORESTS 7 



Crown Lands. 



For agricultural and townsite purposes 132,188.12 acres were sold and the 

 total collections on these and former sales were $114,975.11. 



The total area leased amounted to 15,409.05 acres and rentals collected 

 from leaseholders to $57,175.06. 



Free Grants. 



There has been a marked increase during the year in the area of land located 

 as free grants; a total number of 1,013 persons selected land as compared with 

 858 last year. The tendency to more intensive farming .on smaller areas has 

 reduced the individual farm area from 136 acres to 130 acres. The privilege of 

 purchasing additional land adjacent to their farms has been taken by a larger 

 number of settlers, but the areas are somewhat less as stated above. The pre- 

 vious year only 136 settlers increased their holdings by this means, but during 

 the present year 177 parties purchased a total area of 5,954 acres. 



There were 135,656 acres located and 460 patents were issued covering 

 64,813 acres to settlers who have cleared and put under actual cultivation the 

 required area on their homesteads. 



Settlers on Purchased Lands. 



The demand for land by bona-fide settlers shows a marked increase, with 

 the result that it has been necessary to open new areas for sale and an increase 

 in the area sold. Lands in the vicinity of Kapuskasing in the Townships of 

 O'Brien, Owens, Williamson and Nansen, along the Transcontinental Railway, 

 have been opened during the year, and in this particular area 12,131 acres have 

 been sold, and the demand still continues. The extension of the T. & N. O. 

 Railway line has caused an increase in the already great demand for land in 

 the Cochrane agency, but the adjacent agencies of Matheson and Hearst still 

 lead in the number of actual settlers. 



During the year 894 persons purchased land, an increase of over one hundred 

 and fifty. It was found that a number of parties were holding land, apparently 

 for speculative purposes, and they were required to either continue settlement 

 or dispose of their interests to actual settlers, with the result that 549 persons 

 were granted permission to assign their interests, covering an area of 75,102 

 acres, as compared with 314 persons the previous year. This land was sought 

 by those expressing the intention of becoming actual farmers and the balance 

 of the purchase price paid in full in each case. 



Naturally as time goes on the demand for free grants of land by returned 

 soldiers decreases, as they are rapidly becoming established in other lines of 

 business. This year, however, there were 219 locations of 160 acres each granted 

 to returned men, or a total of 35,040 acres. 



Patents were granted covering 43,119 acres to 328 settlers who had met 

 the required building and clearing conditions. 



Ranching Lands. 



There is a constantly growing request for land for ranching and pasture 

 purposes as a result of the policy adopted by the Department of leasing these 

 lands at five cents per acre per annum with easy conditions as to stocking. 

 Farmers who have their farms practically all under grain crops are acquiring 

 ndditional areas and enlarging their activities to that of sheep and cattle raising. 



