Stockraising continued the dominant industry until about 1905, when a federal law was enacted under which the public land could be homesteaded in tracts of 640 acres, and the lands rapidly passed into private ownership. This had the effect of breaking up the large cattle ranches and giving an impetus to farming. Many of the homesteaders, however, practiced farming for only a short time, and after acquiring ownership of the land sold their holdings to land speculators. On

HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA

the cultivated land an extensive system of dry farming" is carried on, while adjacent unoccupied sections are leased for pasture and hay land, so that stock raising- on a small scale is practiced in conjunction with crop production.

Farming- under irrigation is practiced to some extent. "Wheat is the principal crop in acreage and the chief cash crop of the county. Both winter and spring wheat are grown, winter wheat occupying the greater acreage. The yields have shown wide variations in the last ten years, ranging from less than six to as much as thirty-five bushels per acre. It seems to be the general experience that the winter wheat slightly exceeds the spring wheat in yield.

Corn is generally grown on the upland as a feed crop for use on the farm. The varieties grown produce smaller stalks and smaller ears than those of the eastern part of the state. The White Cap Dent seems to be one of the most successful varieties, and good yields have been obtained from Blueflower Flint and other varieties of this class.