Industrial work and care of timber, 1918—Analysis of expenditures. 69, 633.04 103, 777.50 15, 679.06 $7,521.87 $10, 240.54 $36, 188.49 $77,233. 24 363.54 10.00 267.62 1,913. 40 9, 834.69 28.44 496. 48 1,722.41 3, 199. 71 5,246. 40 184. 10 29.97 63.94 157.99 117.00 99.78 408.91 967.45 This appropriation is known as “Industrial work and care of timber," and to simplify the expenditure thereof, is apportioned under four general headings, descriptive of the different activities involved, namely: (1) Agriculture and stock, (2) experimentation, (3) field matrons, and (4) forestry. The above statement gives an analysis of the expenditures from this appropriation, under the different headings, for the fiscal year 1918, from which it will be noted that the total expenditures therefrom to June 30, 1918, were $397,102.71. However, additional claims and obligations settled to October 24, 1918 (not yet classified), and unaccounted for advances to disbursing agents, amount to $27,257.88, so that the actual unexpended balance will not be in excess of $50,639.41, and may, in fact, be less. This unexpended balance is due to the fact that the greater part of the appropriation is hypothecated early in the fiscal year to cover salaries, annual estimates or contract supplies, equipment, and incidentals, which ties up the money for such purposes. It frequently happens that positions for which funds have been set aside are vacant for a portion of the year; and also savings are sometimes made on annual estimate supplies, and furthermore, it is essential that superintendents retain a small balance for emergency needs arising from time to time during the year, but which can not be anticipated in advance. After establishing a sufficient number of positions under the various jurisdictions to supervise the timber operations and serve as forest guards and rangers, it is necessary to hold in reserve an emergency fund sufficient to employ large numbers of men to fight forest fires in the event of any extensive conflagrations. If the fires fail to occur, or are handled by the regular force of employees, this reserve fund naturally remains unused at the close of the fiscal year. For the sake of clearness, each of the four sections of this appropriation is justified separately. Agriculture and stock. "For the employment of practical farmers and stockmen in addition to the agency and school farmers now employed; for necessary traveling expenses of such farmers and stockmen, and for furnishing necessary equipment and supplies for them; and for superintending and directing farming and stock raising among Indians." The greater portion of this part of the fund is necessarily expended for salaries, equipment, and traveling expenses of farmers and stockmen who work among the adult Indians on the different reservations, directing and supervising their farm, live stock, and other industrial activities. Where more than one farmer is employed, the general custom is to divide the reservation into districts, and station a farmer permanently in each, preferably in Government quarters, when available, and to provide him with transportation facilities, so that he can travel about among the Indians in his district, thereby keeping in close touch with their farming operations, or other industrial activities. Each farmer is expected to be personally acquainted with every Indian family in his district, and thoroughly familiar with their industrial condition, needs, and resources, so as to be in a position to help them to get the best results from their efforts toward self-support by means of farming, live stock raising, or other industrial activities. The duties of farmers and stockmen are primarily to instruct the Indians in all departments of agricultural and live stock work; as to proper methods of preparing the soil, planting, caring for, and harvesting their crops; the use of modern agricultural equipment and machinery; the building and equipment of their homes; and in general, to advise them in all phases of their industrial activity, with the view of promoting their civilization and self-support. It will be noted from the tables at the end of this section that 184 farmers are paid from this appropriation, in addition to which 60 farmers are paid from other funds, making a grand total of 244 farmers for an Indian population of 309,755, or one farmer to every 1,269 Indians. It will readily be seen that this number is entirely too small to get proper results from their work, especially on those larger reservations where the farmer must act as administrative representative of the superintendent in addition to directing the industrial activities of the Indians. Within the past 5 or 10 years the Indian Service has become one of the very largely individualized interests, and the administration of the laws and regulations relating to leases, sales, and patents of allotted lands and the supervision of the moneys derived therefrom has added many fold to the details of reservation work and especially to the duties of the farmer. In many instances these duties involve recommendations covering considerable areas of valuable land, and where the jurisdictions are large the superintendent must rely almost entirely upon the judgment of his district representative (the farmer). This necessarily calls for men of large experience and good judgment in real estate values, as well as of the strictest integrity. As above stated, it is necessary that the farmers on the larger reservations act as administrative representatives of the superintendents in their particular districts, overseeing all the industrial activities of the Indians therein, and where the Indians have been allotted, to view allotments in connection with applications for patents in fee; to supervise the expenditure of individual Indian funds; and to assist the Indians in the purchase of live stock, the erection of homes, barns, etc. Where the Indians have irrigated lands the farmers in many cases are charged with responsibility for the proper distribution and use of the water and the instruction of the Indians in all the details of successful farming in an irrigated country. The act also provides for "necessary equipment and supplies" for employees paid from this appropriation. This includes transportation equipment (such as teams, buggies, and automobiles), harness, forage, etc. With the present high prices of grain and forage of all kinds, the cost thereof has been greatly increased over previous years, thus requiring the expenditure of a much larger sum from his appropriation for such purposes. Stockmen. On many reservations the industrial welfare and progress of the Indians depend largely upon the live stock industry. From the latest figures, the Indians of the United States, under Federal supervision, own individually $34,435,212 worth of live stock, in addition to tribal stock held in common, valued at approximately $2,965,889, 47,174 Indians being engaged in the live stock industry. At the present time 39 stockmen are paid from this appropriation and 30 from other funds, making a total of only 69 stockmen to supervise the tremendous individual and tribal live stock interests of the Indians of the United States, estimated to be worth $37,401,101, which represents an increase of $4,456,441 over the previous year. Farmers and stockmen. PAID FROM INDUSTRIAL WORK AND CARE OF TIMBER, 1919. "Provided further, That not to exceed $25,000 of the amount herein appropriated shall be used to conduct experiments on Indian school and agency farms to test the possibilities of soil and climate in the cultivation of trees, cotton, grains, vegetables, and fruits." The money to be expended for experimental work is largely for the purpose of continuing operations along this line already in progress and to inaugurate such work at other places where the need therefor becomes apparent. It is, of course, the general policy of the Indian Service (in line with the best agricultural practice of the day) to conduct experimentation and demonstration work on the farms of the Indians, so that they may not only see directly what can be accomplished on their lands but also take an active part in experiments and discoveries along agricultural lines. There is a certain amount of experimentation work being done which, because of the discouraging effect of failure upon the Indians, ought to be prosecuted at some central point under the direction of experts, and when definite and certain results are accomplished the adaptability of the various seeds, plants, and trees can then be brought to the attention of the Indians with more hope of success. The largest and most important station for such work in the Indian Service is at Sacaton, on the Pima Reservation, in Arizona, conducted under a cooperative agreement with the Department of Agriculture. Many useful plants have been developed, and these are beneficial not only to the Indians of the reservation, but also to those on other reservations where similar conditions prevail, and to the whites as well. As a result of the experimentation work on this farm, a long-staple Egyptian cotton has been developed which during the past year sold for as much as 85 cents per pound, and is now grown extensively by both Indians and whites in that section. This cotton is very much in demand for aeroplane wings, automobile tires, and other similar purposes. In addition, tests are being made with Peruvian alfalfa, Mexican June corn, Bermuda onions, fruits, nuts (particularly the pecan), trees, and forage plants. At the San Juan School, in New Mexico, experimentation is being carried on under the direction of practical farmers, and excellent results have been accomplished. Various kinds of alfalfa, fruits, grains, melons, trees, and vegetables are being experimented with, and the Indians are furnished with seeds and cuttings from the varieties which the experiments show to be best adapted to local conditions. FIELD MATRONS. "For the employment of suitable persons as matrons to teach Indian women and girls housekeeping and other household duties and for furnishing necessary equipment and supplies and renting quarters for them where necessary.' It is the duty of field matrons to visit the Indian women in their homes and to give them counsel, encouragement, and help in the general care of the house and surroundings, hygiene, and sanitation; the preparation and serving of food; the keeping and care of domestic animals, including dairy stock; the care of children and of the sick; the observance of the Sabbath; the organization of societies for building up character |