There are in the United States some 500,000,000 acres in what is known as the Arid Belt. These are not available for agriculture until they have been irrigated. "It is now estimated that at least 15,000,000 acres will be added to the available domain of the country during the first ten years" following the enactment of a new law, "while the authorities in charge of the work insist that under its operations it will be possible to bring into actual cultivation and use some years earlier than had been anticipated the 100,000 square miles included in the original estimate."

The new law referred to "repealed the previous enactment permitting single individuals to take up land to the amount of 160 acres under the Homestead timber culture and preemption systems, making 480 acres in all." It provided, among other things, that 160 acres should be the maximum. - London "Times," October 31, 1003.