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his actual residence on and cultivation of the tract, and secure the same by paying cash, or by filing warrant duly assigned to the pre-emptor. Where the tract has been surveyed and not offered at public sale, the claimant must file within three months from date of settlement, and make proof and payment before the day designated in the President's procla mation for offering the lands at public sale. Should the settler in either of the aforesaid cases die before establishing his claim within the period limited by law, the title may be perfected by the executor, administrator, or one of the heirs, by making the requisite proof of settlement and paying for the land; the entry to be made in the name of "the heirs" of the deceased settler, and the patent will be issued accordingly.

In those States and Territories in which settlements are authorized by law on unsurveyed land, the claimant must file notice of settlement within three months after the receipt of the township plat of survey at the district land office, and make proof and payment as required in the case of tracts which have been surveyed and not offered at public sale.

Homestead lands.-The original homestead act of May 20, 1862, gives to every citizen, and to those who have declared their intentions to become such, the right to a homestead on surveyed lands. This is conceded to the extent of one-quarter section, or 160 acres, held at $1 25 per acre, or eighty acres at $2 50 per acre, in any organized district embracing surveyed public lands. To obtain homesteads the party must, in connection with his application, make an affidavit before the register or receiver that he is over the age of twenty-one, or the head of a family; that he is a citizen of the United States, or has declared his intention to become such, and that the entry is made for his exclusive use and benefit, and for actual settlement and cultivation. Where the applicant is prevented by reason of bodily infirmity, distance, or other good cause, from personal attendance at the district land office, the affidavit may be made before the clerk of the court for the county within which the party is an actual resident.

The amendatory act of March, 1864, relaxes the requirements of personal attendance at the district office to persons in the military or naval service, where the party's family or some member is residing on the land that it is desired to enter, and upon which a bona fide improve ment and cultivation has been made. In such cases the said act of 1864 allows the beneficiary to make the affidavit before the officer commanding in the branch of service in which he may be engaged, and the same may be filed by the wife or other representative of the absentee with the register, together with the homestead application. His claim in that case will become effective from the date of filing, provided the required fee and commissions accompany the same; but immediately upon his discharge he must enter upon the land and make it his bona fide home, as required by the original act of May 20, 1862.

For homestead entries on surveyed lands in Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri, Minnesota, Kansas, Nebraska, Dakota, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Florida, the total commissions and fees to be paid on minimum lands are as follows: On 160 acres, $18; on 80 acres, $9; on 40 acres, $7; on double minimum lands, 80 acres, $18; 40 acres, $9. On surveyed lands in California, Nevada, Oregon, Colorado, New Mexico, Washington, Arizona, Idaho, and Montana, the commissions and fees are as follows: On minimum lands, 160 acres, $22; 80 acres, $11; 40 acres, $8; on double minimum lands, 80 acres, $22; 40 acres, $11. By the act of 21st June, 1866, the public lands of Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Florida, are subject to disposal under the provisions of the homestead laws only.

Upon faithful observance of the law in regard to settlement and culti vation for the continuous term of five years, and at the expiration on that time, or within two years thereafter, upon proper proof to the satisfaction of the land officers, and payment to the receiver, the register will issue his certificate and make proper return to the General Land Office as the basis of a patent or complete title for the homestead. In making final proof it is indispensable, under the statute, that the homestead party shall appear in person at the district land office, and there make the affidavit required of him by law in support of his claim. Where, from physical disability, distance, or other good cause, the witnesses of said party cannot attend in person at the district land office, their testimony in support of the claim may be taken where they reside before an officer authorized by law to administer oaths. Their testimony must state satisfactorily the reason of inability to attend the district office; and the credibility and responsibility of the witnesses must be certified by the officiating magistrate, whose official character must be certified under seal. Where a homestead settler dies before the consummation of his claim, the heirs may continue the settlement and cultivation, and obtain title upon requisite proof at the proper time. Where both parents die, leaving infant heirs, the homestead may be sold for cash for the benefit of such heirs, and the purchaser will receive title from the United States.

The sale of a homestead claim by the settler to another party before completion of title is not recognized by the General Land Office, and not only vests no title or equities in the purchaser, but is prima facie evidence of abandonment, and gives cause for the cancellation of the claim. To the government only may a claim be relinquished; and in such case the duplicate receipt of the settler should be surrendered with the relinquishment indorsed thereon; or if the duplicate has been lost, that fact should be stated in the relinquishment, duly signed and acknowledged.

When application is made for the cancellation of a homestead entry on the ground of abandonment, the party must file his affidavit with the local land officers, setting forth the facts on which his allegations are founded, describing the tracts and giving the name of the settler. Upon this the officers will set apart a day for a hearing, giving all the parties in interest due notice of the time and place of trial.

The expenses incident to such contest must be defrayed by the contestant, and no entry of the land can be made until the local officers have received notice from the General Land Office of the cancellation of the entry covering the same. As the law allows but one homestead privilege, a settler relinquishing or abandoning his claim cannot thereafter make a second entry. Where an individual has made settlement on a surveyed tract and filed his pre-emption declaration therefor, he may change his filing into homestead, yet such change is inadmissible where an adverse right has intervened, but in such cases the settler has the privilege of perfecting his title under the pre-emption laws. If the homestead settler does not wish to remain five years on his tract, the law permits him to pay for it with cash or warrants, upon making proof of settlement and cultivation from the date of entry to the time of payment. There is another class of homesteads, designated as "adjoining farm homesteads." In these cases the law allows an applicant, owning and residing on an original farm, to enter other land lying contiguous thereto, which shall not, with such farm, exceed in the aggregate one hundred and sixty acres. Thus, for example, a party owning or occupying eighty acres may enter eighty additional graded at $1 25, or forty acres at $250. Or suppose the

applicant to own forty acres, then he may enter one hundred and twenty acres graded at $125, or forty at $1 25 and forty at $2 50, if both classes of land should be found contiguous to his original farm. In entries of "adjoining farms" the settler must describe, in his affidavit, the tract he owns and is settled upon as his original farm. Actual residence on the tract entered as an adjoining farm is not required, but bona fide improvement and cultivation of it must be shown for the period required by the

statute.

Lands obtained under the homestead laws are exempted from liability for debts contracted prior to the issuing of patents therefor.

Pre-emptors, in all organized districts where surveys have been made, can pay for their tracts either in cash or with warrants, except as to double minimum or $2 50 lands, within the lateral limits of railroad grants, it being required for the double minimum tracts that the warrant shall be taken as half the consideration, and the residue be paid in money.

UNITED STATES LAND OFFICES.

The following list shows the location of the land offices of the United States, in the respective public land States and Territories:

Ohio.-Chillicothe.

Indiana.-Indianapolis.

Illinois.-Springfield.

Missouri.-Boonville, Ironton, Springfield.

Alabama.-Mobile, Huntsville, Montgomery.

Mississippi.-Jackson.

Louisiana.-New Orleans, Monroe, Natchitoches.

Florida.-Tallahassee.

Arkansas.-Little Rock, Washington, Clarksville.

Michigan.-Detroit, East Saginaw, Ionia, Marquette, Traverse City. Iowa.-Des Moines, Council Bluffs, Fort Dodge, Sioux City.

Wisconsin. Menasha, Falls of St. Croix, Stevens's Point, La Crosse, Bayfield, Eau Claire.

Nevada.-Carson City, Austin, Belmont, Aurora.

California.-San Francisco, Marysville, Humboldt, Stockton, Visalia, Sacramento.

Washington Territory.-Olympia, Vancouver.

Minnesota. Taylor's Falls, St. Cloud, Winnebago City, St. Peters, Greenleaf, Duluthi, Alexandria.

Oregon.-Oregon City, Roseburg, Le Grand.

Kansas.-Topeka, Junction City, Humboldt.

Nebraska.-Omaha City, Beatrice, Lincoln, Dakota City.

New Mexico Territory.-Santa Fé.

Dakota Territory.-Vermillion.

Colorado Territory.-Denver City, Fair Play, Central City.
Idaho Territory.-Boise City, Lewiston.

Montana Territory.-Helena.

Arizona Territory.-Prescott.

Utah Territory.-Salt Lake City.

EXTENT OF THE PUBLIC LANDS.

Statement showing the area in acres of the several public land States and Territories, the quantity sold and entered under homestead laws, and the number of acres disposed of in each.

State and Territories.

Area in acres.

Quantity sold.

Entered under homestead laws.

Surveyed and unsurveyed, remaining unsold and unappropriated, June 30th, 1868.

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32, 462,080.00 33, 406, 720.00 120, 947, 840. 00 37,931, 520.00 35, 462, 400, 00 21, 637, 760. 00 35, 228, 800.00 52, 043, 520.00 26, 461, 440. 00 36, 128, 640. 00 53, 459,840, 00 30, 179, 840. 00 41, 824, 000, 00 48, 636, 800.00 71, 737, 600.00 25, 576 960.00 6), 975,36J.00 34, 511, 360. 00 369, 529, 600.00 72, 906, 24). 00 66,880,000.00 96, 596, 128. 00 55, 228, 160.00 44, 154, 240. 00 92,016, 649, CO 77, 568, 640. 00

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6,790, 996. 17 11, 574, 430. 18 104, 538, 420. 30 17, 424, 438. 19 424.67 1, 9:20. 00 2,902, 528.06 42, 795, 589. 84 6, 582,841.54 4,614,078. 26 35, 534, 118.75 4,828, (69. 11 1,483, 713. 22 41, 624, 126. 40 67,085, 697. 12 500.00

52,518, 014. 32 9,258, 627.33 369, 529, 600.00 68,855, 890. 00 62,814, 254, 86 90, 986, 449. 52 52. 150, 806. 49 44, 154, 240, 00 86,904, 569.07 70, 705, 518.00 48, 976, 310. 20

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THE STATE REPORTS OF AGRICULTURE.

Annual reports of agriculture for the year 1867, have been received from the States of Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Iowa, and Missouri, embracing all the volumes issued by State agricultural societies or State boards of agriculture, during the year, so far as known to this Department. While it is impracticable to reproduce, even in the most concise form, the entire contents of these local publications, a brief digest of the more important features of each is herewith presented, though in some instances the suggestions of individual contributors may not merit the fullest indorsement. Practical results are of more value to the farmer than detailed theories or speculations; hence, in gleaning from these several volumes, more attention has been given to the statements of facts-the results of actual experiment-than to the lengthy essays; while the reproductions from home and from foreign periodicals have been passed over entirely.

MAINE.

THE APPLE ORCHARDS OF NEW ENGLAND.

In a paper read before the State Board of Agriculture by Calvin Chamberlain, it is stated that New England soil once sustained the apple tree to a vigorous old age, but that farmers, relying too much on the permanence of existing orchards, and taking no note of climatic changes induced by the removal of forests, have suffered this interest to waste away to an alarming degree. A few individuals saw the error in time, and gave the note of warning, which had some effect; but the hard winter ten years ago, by laying waste the labors of many orchardists, discouraged general effort and caused a rapid decline in production. That the climate has changed since the first orchards were planted in the narrow clearings of the forest is understood, and also that the soils of the orchard farms differ in their constituent elements from their primitive condition; and that destructive insects have greatly multiplied is equally certain; but, with a growing conception of these negative influences, there now appears to be an increasing inquiry for nursery trees. Nurseries seem to have declined as rapidly as orchards, however, and in many sections none exist.

The writer advises farmers to return to the practice of raising their own apple trees, as worth much more than when grown at a distance from the farm. Any family may save seeds enough from good apples to plant thickly in the garden, in the spring, at least one row a rod long. When grown one or two years these trees should be transplanted, at intervals of one foot, in rows three feet apart. The transplanting is best done by taking them up in the autumn, and packing the roots in earth in the cellar. They may be grafted at any time during the winter, and reset in the spring, or they may be reset when lifted, in fall or spring, and budded or grafted the following year; or they may be allowed to go to the orchard as seedlings, and such only be grafted subsequently in the branches as produce inferior fruit. No one should attempt to raise an orchard until he is ready to give his trees such care

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