In the first place, the land was nearly all held in great estates, each owned by a single proprietor.

首先， 土地几乎全部属于大庄园，每个庄园都由一个所有者所有。

As in the original settlement of America, so in the opening of the West, great companies and single proprietors of large grants early figured.

——正如在美国最初的定居点一样， 在西方的开放中，大公司和大笔赠款的单一所有者很早就出现了。