tically the same basis as the whites, and it has been a prominent factor in the promotion of the welfare and progress of the Indians along agricultural lines.

STOCK RAISING.

The Indians have made continued progress in the live-stock industry during the past year, even beyond expectation, in view of severe drought which prevailed in the southwest for the past three years and is now affecting live-stock interests in Wyoming and Montana.

These conditions have become so threatening that it is necessary to materially reduce the number of stock in the tribal herds and belonging to the Indians on the various reservations in those States. Some shipments to market have already been made and plans are in progress to reduce the stock to such number as can be carried through next winter on the available supply of feed without danger of serious loss.

The Indians of the Navajo Reservations have suffered considerable losses of sheep in consequence of drought and the hard winters following. Investigation at the various wool markets indicated that the improvement in the grade of the wool shipped by these Indians was gratifying, but that better methods of shearing and handling the same would result in a higher price. A campaign has, therefore, been started with the view of having the Indians properly prepare their wool for market next season, and for assisting them in the further development of their live-stock interests.

The purchase of first-class bulls by Altaha R. 14, an Indian of the Fort Apache Indian Reservation referred to in last year's report, has demonstrated to the Indians the benefit they will derive from raising first-class animals, and the council has unanimously requested that the bulls needed to improve their stock be purchased and placed on the range, or that a project be established to produce such animals on their reservation.

In addition to the natural increase of stock on the various reservations, there have been purchased during the past year a total of approximately 3,200 cows and heifers, and 450 steers.

The suppression of contagious diseases among the live stock of the Indians has progressed satisfactorily and on several of the reservations in Montana and North and South Dakota, dourine eradication work has been completed and the ranges are reported to be free of animals infected with disease.

The movement for ridding the Indian ranges of wild horses is being carried on energetically, but the lack of a market or a satisfactory method of disposing of such animals has somewhat retarded this work.

The interest that a large part of the Indians are taking in raising live stock shows that they appreciate the benefits accruing to them

from greater activity in such industry, and this example is stimulating many others to improve the grade of their stock and their methods of caring for it.

IRRIGATION.

Irrigation on Indian reservations played no unimportant part in the production of foodstuffs during the war period. The Indians responded nobly to the call for greater production and materially increased the acreage cultivated and the yield per acre.

A good deal of the allotted irrigable land on various reservations belongs to minors and adults who, on account of age or other physical disabilities, are unable to properly cultivate their entire holdings. Such lands havo been leased, under favorable terms, to the mutual advantage of the Indian lessors, the white lessees, and the community at large, including, of course, the reservation on which such land may be located.

The cost of construction, operation, and maintenance on irrigation projects has increased proportionately with the constantly rising cost of labor and material. On the other hand, much saving has resulted from the use of machinery such as dredges, drag-line excavators, ditch-cleaning machines, etc. Wherever machinery of this kind could be employed, it has been used to great advantage, not only in the actual saving of dollars and cents but in the increased quantity and quality of the work performed, with less hire of actual labor, thus relieving to some small extent the demand on the labor market. On the Yakima Reservation, Wash., more than 800,000 cubic yards of earth were removed at a cost of less than 11 cents per yard. Many miles of canals and ditches were cleaned while water was flowing therein at a time when it was practically impossible to procure men and teams with which to do the work.

The severe drought conditions that have prevailed throughout the West generally during the past three years demonstrate forcibly the need for irrigation. Without irrigation on many of the reservations in Arizona, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, and Utah, great distress would have resulted among the Indians.

YAKIMA. The largest expenditures and likewise greatest returns have been on the Yakima Reservation, Wash. The work done consisted principally of extending canals, laterals, and drainage ditches, the building of check and turnout gates, drops, bridges, etc. Just as rapidly as the system was extended new land was put under cultivation. This project yielded over $7,000,000 worth of crops. last year and, with the increased acreage, it is expected that the gross yield will approximate $9,000,000 during the current calendar

year.

FORT HALL. The Fort Hall Reservation, Idaho, lies in the recently drought-stricken district. With the storage facilities here

tofore provided, however, this project will go through the season without detriment to our irrigation activities. Projects belonging to private parties in this locality are suffering greatly owing to a lack of storage. During the past year this project produced $890,000 worth of crops and it is expected that this amount will be greatly exceeded during the present year. The project at this point has not been completed and before all the Indian land can be supplied with water a considerable sum must be expended to enlarge and extend the present system. White land owners above this project have been using it, at times, as a convenience by dumping waste and surplus waters into one of the Government canals. Considerable annoyance and expense have resulted from this during the several years last past. The recent drought condition has eliminated this difficulty for the present year at least, but it will probably give us trouble until some adjustment is reached. The Department of Justice is now investigating the matter with a view of taking appropriate steps to relieve the situation.

UINTAH.—The Uintah project in northeastern Utah suffered greatly from the prevailing drought. We have no storage facilities here but must depend on the natural run-off which, at times, and especially during drought seasons, is far from sufficient. Ditches and lands in white ownership are located above the Indian lands and in past years considerable damage to the interests of the Indians has resulted from the whites taking and using the available water. Proceedings were instituted by the Department of Justice in behalf of the Indians and under a temporary order of the court this abuse has been corrected to a large extent. Final decree has not yet been entered, but it is confidently expected that the Indians will be fully. protected when the decree is made.

WIND RIVER.-The Wind River Reservation, Wyo., is also in the drought belt. Rapid strides have been made in the development of irrigable lands on this reservation during the past two years, but further progress is temporarily checked at least until the natural flow increases or storage is provided. The snowfall in the mountains during the past winter, which furnishes the water supply, was very slight and the streams began to fail early in the irrigating season. Absence of rainfall later in the season created a serious shortage and the crops undoubtedly will be curtailed to a considerable extent. Experiences of this kind furnish forcible lessons in the economical use of water and, in the end, may prove of great benefit to the project at large. During the past year about $400,000 worth of crops were raised here. Results for the present year are not yet known and in view of the drought conditions the aggregate yield may be substantially reduced.

CROW, MONT.-A large amount of land was placed under cultivation on this project during the past year, principally under the "dry-farming" method. The irrigated areas only will yield profitably, however, as the drought has been particularly disastrous in this locality. The streams here are now carrying less water than ever before known, either to Indians or whites. Heretofore flood waters from the Big Horn River have proven ample for all requirements, but in June of this year it became necessary to construct a temporary dam across this stream in order to divert sufficient water for irrigation purposes. Increased irrigation activities adjacent to this reservation and the development of additional areas by the Indian Service, the Reclamation Service, and private parties, will necessitate the construction of a permanent diversion dam for the Big Horn project. This should be done in the near future. The Crow Reservation is chiefly adapted to stock raising. Whether it is suitable for even limited farming operations, without irrigation,. remains to be proven, but with the present drought confronting us the Indians would have been in an exceedingly critical position if it were not for the produce yielded by the irrigated areas.

FORT BELKNAP, MONT.-Practically all the farming done on this reservation is being conducted by the Indians. The present and recent high prices of farm products have stimulated greater and more economical use of the irrigation facilities. Additional areas are being cultivated and better farming methods used.

MISSION RESERVATIONS, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.-The irrigable areas on these small mission reservations are exceedingly limited and in many instances offer opportunity for the Indians to make only a bare living. Accordingly, the reservations are used chiefly as a base of operation, the Indians maintaining homes there and raising a part of their sustenance; seeking work elsewhere for the remainder. These Indians will be found in trusted positions all over southern California, and the fact that they at least have homes to which they can return makes them more independent, and doubtless has much to do with their stability and trustworthiness.

COLORADO RIVER.-In order to determine the feasibility of a large gravity irrigation project on this reservation, a force of engineers and assistants has been engaged in making surveys, plans, and estimates. The work has been much handicapped by the shortage of man power but it is being continued with the expectation that a full report will be ready for presentation to Congress at its next session.

GILA RIVER.-Efforts were made to obtain satisfactory proposals for the construction of a dam across the Gila River near the agency at Sacaton. Advertisements were issued on two occasions during the year, but no response to the first advertisement was received, and to the second, only one bid. This was so high that it was rejected. As

this appropriation was based on estimates made several years ago, when labor and material were much lower, additional appropriations are necessary before the work can be undertaken.

The act of May 18, 1916, carries an appropriation for the construction of a diversion dam across the Gila River above the town of Florence, Ariz., but stipulates that the project should be undertaken only in the event that it shall be found feasible and that a satisfactory adjustment of the conflicting claims to water between the Indians and the whites could be reached. Negotiations were promptly begun, but much valuable time lost because representatives of white land owners in the valley insisted on a division of the available waters that was manifestly unfair to the Indians. On my repeated and earnest insistence that the rights of the Indians must be fully recognized and protected an agreement was finally reached under which the project will be limited to 62,000 acres, of which 35,000 acres are to be Indian land. In determining which particular tracts of land in white ownership that are to come into the project, aggregating 27,000 acres, regard is to be had to the areas previously cultivated, those having established water rights recognized by court decreo, and any other factors deemed material. Representatives of this bureau went into the field with instructions to obtain individual contracts from claimants of land in private ownership within certain boundaries indicated by engineers as being the feasible, economical exterior limits of the project. This resulted in obtaining contracts covering something over 80,000 acres, included in which are between 12,000 and 13,000 acres claiming vested water rights. These facts are all to be considered in designating the 27,000 acres in white ownership that are finally to be included in the area to be served. It is expected that these designations will be made shortly, thus paving the way for the project to be declared feasible, as required by law. Plans and specifications of the dam have been prepared and it is hoped that actual construction can be undertaken in the near future.

PAPAGO WELLS. Additional wells have been installed and the old ones operated, thus enabling these deserving Indians to use larger grazing areas and attain greater success and industrial advancement. Without wells for stock watering purposes these Indians were unable to increase their holdings. While their reservation is comparatively large yet the rainfall is scant and the pasturage indifferent. Stock raising is the chief industry and practically the only means of support for the Indians, except such as can be obtained outside by actual day labor.

NAVAJO AND HOPI OF ARIZONA AND NEW MEXICO.-These Indians have a large area of practically desert land. Irrigation is being rapidly developed in the few places possible. The predominant industry, however, is raising live stock, and there are now nearly a