46 BULLETIN 1001, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
Hence, in two ways the policy is still recognized, though with re- 
stricted application. 
Really very little harm would be done if a policy of selling the 
remaining public lands of the United States (not including Alaska) 
were inaugurated, with proper restrictions, if we assume that indi- 
vidual ownership of lands is the best adjustment of the whole 
question. The reason for this lies in the character of the lands still 
to be disposed of. If the equities of the present users of these lands 
could receive proper consideration, and priority of right to purchase 
be granted them on the basis of their equities, the great bulk of these 
lands would soon pass into the hands of the present Users, though* it 
is practically certain that many applicants would, get less land than 
they now claim as their own ranges. It must be kept in mind that 
these men are already carrying on the business for which the land is 
best fitted; that they have large investments in improvements in 
the region; that they want to stay in the business; and that most of 
them know how and desire to increase the productivity of this land. 
This adjustment would have the disadvantage of fixing the status 
of the. land approximately in its present state of subdivision, which 
is recognizedly not the best possible adjustment. It would also 
give special advantage to the man who has plenty of money, since he 
is the man who can buy, and he could use that power to the disad- 
vantage of others who would need the land for use. 
If legal control of the range lands by those who use it were all 
that is wanted, this method would give it, and to that extent it 
would be an improvement over present conditions. But a much 
better type of control is possible. 
It is not likely that we will ever revert to the policy of unlimited 
sale, since the disadvantages mentioned have been recognized, and 
public opinion is strongly opposed to the practice. 
Gradual enlargement of the homestead area. — Underlying the origi- 
nal homestead law and all modifications of it since passed, is the 
assumption that the entryman is to receive, as a gift from the Nation, 
an area of land which, if properly worked, will furnish him and his 
family a reasonable living. In the humid region 160 acres of farming 
land was rightly judged to be amply sufficient. The law was made 
when everybody considered the areas here referred to as semiarid 
and arid grazing land, to be a part of the " Great American Desert," 
and few expected that it would ever be used for any kind of agri- 
cultural purpose. At that very time, however, there was growing up 
the industry which led the way to the occupation and use of these 
lands — the range grazing of stock. 
With a continuing demand for farming land, and after most of the 
available land of the humid region had been taken, men began what 
we now call "dry farming'' on the best of the semiarid lands. A 
