THE AGRICULTURAL LAND-GRANT.

To the Legislature of the State of Michigan:

The law organizing the Agricultural Land-Grant Board does not require a report of their proceedings; but, in compliance with what it is believed will be a general wish, submit the following report of the agent appointed by the Board, for the selection of the lands inuring to the State by virtue of the act of Congress, approved July 2d, 1862, as the report of the Board, and append the same to the Report of the Commissioner of the State Land Office, as the most appropriate place. All of which is respectfully submitted.

JAMES B. PORTER,

Secretary Agricultural Land-Grant Board.

TO HIS EXCELLENCY AUSTIN BLAIR,

Governor and Chairman of the

Agricultural Land-Grant Board:

SI-I have the honor to submit my report, as agent of the Board, for the selection of the lands granted the State, by act of Congress, approved July 2d, 1862, for the endowment of Colleges for the benefit of Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts. The preliminary steps, such as procuring lists and maps from the United States District Offices, showing the unsold government lands, necessarily occupied some time.

Acting under the advice of the Board, recourse was had to the history of the lands subject to entry, and the topography of each particular quarter section, as found in the papers relating to the original survey of the lands in question, and the maps, plats and remarks of the surveyors, in the State Land

Office.

This, together with such information as could be obtained by correspondence, with parties familiar with different localities, has been the chief means made use of in the selections already made.

The lands, thus far, have been selected with reference to their intrinsic value, and early availability for the purposes of the grant, and have consequently been made adjacent to the settled portions of the State, and within reach of some of the most important lines of State roads now in process of construction.

The law of Congress imposes two conditions in regard to locating the lands granted, which have imposed much care and labor, as well as much more extensive examinations, than would otherwise have been necessary, as they greatly abridge the quantity of government lands most desirable in location and availability.

The first relates to the selection of lands of the double minimum price, which is permitted, "provided they shall be computed to the States at the maximum price, and the number of acres proportionally diminished. This affects large tracts of land adjacent to the lands reserved for railroad and other purposes. None such have been selected.

The second restricts selections to quantities "not less than one quarter section," "which is not construed as forbidding the selection of a legal subdivision less than a quarter section, but every such selection must be charged to the State as a quarter section, or 160 acres."

Could selections have been made of quantities less than a quarter section, or of adjoining eighty acre tracts, upon different sections or different quarters of the same section, the labor would have been much less, and the land more uniform in quality.

The selections thus far have been of farming lands in the Counties of Alpena, Antrim, Bay, Benzie, Cheboygan, Clare, Emmet, Grand Traverse, Isabella, Kalcaska, Leelanaw, Manistee, Mason, Missaukee, Newaygo, Oceana, Osceola, Otsego and

Wexford. They are located chiefly south of the line of the Flint and Pere Marquette, and west of the Indiana and Grand Rapids railroad routes, with an idea to secure lands adjacent to the settled portions of the State.

In the months of March, April and May, I filed with the Registers of the following District Land Offices lists as follows, to wit:

None of the above lands have, as yet, been confirmed to the State.

Some of the preliminary steps have been taken to locate the remainder due by the terms of this grant, which amounts to about 90,000 acres.

The expenses thus far attending the selections have been comparatively light--less than six hundred dollars--a detailed statement of which is herewith submitted.

All of which is respectfully submitted.

SAMUEL S. LACEY,

Agent.