DRY-FARMING 



repealed the "Timber Cultiore Act,"^ or, 

 as if was more popularly known, "The 

 Tree Claim," for none but a western 

 settler, wending his way over the desolate 

 prairie, can fully reaUze the cheering 

 welcome of a grove of cottonwoods, never 

 failing guides, in storm and sunshine, to 

 his helpmate and his home. 



iThis Act was in force from 1873 to 1891. It enabled 

 any person to obtain 160 acres of land — a homestead — 

 by planting 40 acres of timber and properly caring for the 

 same for ten years. The number of acres of timber was 

 finally reduced to 10 and the period of cultivation to eight 

 years. The law proved a failure owing to the number of 

 frauds in connection with it and also to the lack of officials 

 to see that the reg^ations were properly carried out. 

 Nevertheless, 44,000,000 acres of land were entered by 

 this method. 



THE END 



290 



