In the following table statistics in detail are given in regard to the seven training schools, and the seven other schools specially appropriated for mentioned above.

TABLE 2.-Showing attendance, cost, etc., of training schools and of other schools specially appropriated for, during fiscal year ended June 30, 1889.

In the two following tables comparative statements are given as to the attendance at schools for a series of years.

TABLE 3.-Showing enrollment and average attendance at Indian schools for the fiscal years 1887, 1888 and 1889.

* Four of these schools are assisted by the Government, but not under formal contract. See note on previous page.

TABLE 4.-Showing Indian school attendance from 1882 to 1889, both years inclusive.

In order to carry out fully the intention of Congress regarding the development of agriculture among the Indians, the following circular has been addressed to agents :

SIR: I wish to call your special attention to a paragraph in the act of Congress making appropriations for the Indian service for the current fiscal year in reference to the employment of farmers for the Indians, which reads:

To enable the Secretary of the Interior to employ practical farmers, in addition to agency farmers now employed, at wages not exceeding $75 per month, to superintend and direct farming among such Indians as are making effort for self-support, $50,000; and no person shall be employed as such farmer who has not been at least five years previous to such employment practically eagaged in the occupation of farming.

The evident purpose of Congress in making this appropriation, under the conditions attached, was to insure greater advance in farming among the Indians, not only by securing men who are successful farmers themselves, but who are able to incite a desire for farming among the Indians, and to teach and direct them in the work, and therefore I consider that the provisions of the act, although apparently limited to what are called "additional farmers," apply to all persons employed as farmers in the service, and not only to those to be appointed, but also to all now so employed, without regard to date of original appointment.

That I may know exactly the qualifications of each farmer at your agency, and in what respects he is or is not such an employé as the letter and the spirit of the act requires, and that I may be able to assure the honorable Secretary that all the provisions of said act are being strictly complied with, I desire you to furnish me with the following information:

(1) Give name of each farmer at your agency.

(2) Date of appointment and when he entered upon duty.

(3) Was he actually engaged for at least five years practically in the occupation of farming previous to his appointment?

(4) In what locality was he engaged in farming previous to his appointment? (5) Has he a full knowledge of the proper use and care of modern agricultural implements and machinery?

(6) Does it appear by his selection of farm sites, seeds, time and manner of planting, cultivating, reaping, etc., that he thoroughly understands the peculiarities of the soil, seasons, etc., in your locality?

(7) Has he at all times since his appointment faithfully endeavored to discharge his duty by striving to interest the Indians in farm work; in the care of their crops, of stock and their increase, especially brood mares; in the care of their farming imple

ments, both when in use and when not in use; and in that general good management husbandry, and foresight indispensable to successful farming?

(8) Is he married or single, and is his family with him at the agency?

(9) Admitting that he is an experienced farmer, having all the qualifications above referred to, is he of such a temperament as enables him to impart this knowledge readily to others, particularly Indians?

(10) Is he a man of good moral character, strictly temperate, and disposed to treat the Indians kindly, and with patience and consideration for their peculiarities, so that he has secured their confidence and respect?

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(11) Cite some of the more prominent of the results of his work among the Indians, such as: Number of Indians he has induced to begin farming who had never farmed before, giving the names of the Indians who have so commenced and the number of acres now cultivated by each; increase of stock held by individual Indians, stating the number and description of that owned by each; the number, character, and present condition of the wagons, plows, and all other agricultural implements in the possession of each Indian farmer, stating whether any have failed to provide proper shelter for their stock in winter, and for their agricultural implements, wagons, etc., when not in use, and the reason for failure. Also give in general your opinion in regard to him personally and the manner in which he discharges his duties, making such recommendations as you may desire for the best interests of the service and the Indians, and as would, if carried out, result in a more strict compliance with the requirements and purposes of the act. In short, has he succeeded in establishing farming among his Indians on a paying basis, and if not, what is the cause of failure? It is not the desire of this office to make any unnecessary changes in the force of farmers, nor to unnecessarily disturb those who are competent and faithful. On the other hand, the quality of the service rendered is a paramount consideration, and the good of the Indians must be regarded as outweighing any personal interests in favor of the farmers. With these considerations in view, I wish to know whether, in your opinion, the good of the service would be promoted essentially by any change. If so, state it frankly, and give your reasons for it.

PHYSICIANS.

The life of a physician on an Indian reservation with poor accommodations, small salary, and few of the modern appliances and help for the practice of his calling, is dreary enough to all except to him who realizes the noble part he may perform in helping to lift this people out of their superstitious regard for the grotesque rites of the "medicine men." There is opportunity for a large exercise of that self-sacrificing spirit which is characteristic of the medical profession.

The following paper is sent to all who apply for appointment:

SYNOPSIS OF QUALIFICATIONS AND DUTIES OF AGENCY PHYSICIANS.

To be eligible to the position of agency physician the applicant ought to have a good general education, must be a regular graduate of some reputable medical college, and be actually engaged in the practice of medicine. He must be between twenty-five and forty-five years of age, temperate, active, industrious, in sound health, and must possess a good personal and professional character. The application for appointment must be made upon blanks provided for the purpose, which will be furnished upon request. A copy of the applicant's diploma and of his license to practice medicine must be filed at the same time. Married men are preferred to those who are single.

Attending to private practice or other business outside of the agency is prohibited, as it leads to endless complaints and opens the door for neglect of official duties.

The physician must devote his entire time and professional skill to the Indians and agency employés.

He should at all times strive to overcome the evil influence of the native "medicine men," to abolish their superstitious rites and barbarous customs, to gain the respect and confidence of the Indians, and to extend his influence among them by kind treatment, exemplary habits, and prompt attention to the cases requiring medical assistance. He should be governed by the highest code of professional conduct. The agency physician is required not only to attend to those who call upon him at his office, but also to visit the Indians at their homes, and, in addition to prescribing and administering needed medicines, to do his utmost to educate and instruct them in proper methods of living, and of caring for health.

He should exercise special care in regard to the sanitary condition of the agency and schools, and promptly report to the agent any condition, either of building or grounds, liable to cause sickness, in order that proper steps may be taken to remedy the evil.

The physician is required to make regular visits to the Indian schools, and during such visits he should give short talks to the pupils on the elementary principles of physiology and hygiene, explaining in a plain and simple manner the processes of digestion and the assimilation of food, the circulation of the blood, the functions of the skin, etc., by which they may understand the necessity for proper habits of eating and drinking, for cleanliness, ventilation, and other hygienic conditions. The correct manner of treating emergency cases, such as dangerous hemorrhage, syncope, prostration from heat, etc., should also be explained.

Classes should be formed composed of the most advanced and intelligent pupils, for special instruction by the physician in regard to nursing and caring for the sick, administering medicines, and preparing food for invalids, and any other points of like character on which it would be proper to give such pupils instruction.

A full statement of what the physician has done in the directions above noted should accompany his monthly reports.

Monthly reports must be made to this office upon blanks furnished for the purpose, showing the number of cases and the nature of the diseases treated, care being taken to note that all the footings are correctly made, that the reports are prepared in a neat, legible manner, that all the cases appearing as treated are properly accounted for, and that the cases remaining under treatment at the end of each month are properly carried forward to the report for the succeeding month. Indian sanitary statistics should be full, accurate, and absolutely reliable.

In connection with the monthly sanitary report the physician must, from time to time, note the progress which the Indians are making toward abandoning their medicine men and adopting rational methods of treating and nursing the sick. Special attention should be given to the matter of hospitals.

The agent, being a bonded officer, is responsible under his bond for all medical supplies at his agency, and the physician must exercise prudence and sound judgment in expending such supplies. At the end of each quarter a report of medical property must be made on the proper blanks and be handed to the agent to be forwarded with his accounts to this office.

Harmony is essential to the proper conduct of an agency, and the physician, though appointed directly by this office, must treat the agent with proper respect, promptly and cheerfully obeying all orders issued by him.

HOSPITALS.

There is an urgent need for the establishment of hospitals. Many of the physicians are doing excellent service among the Indians under their care, and to a great extent are destroying the influence of the "medicine men," but they are continually hampered in their

efforts by the unhygienic surroundings of their patients, the lack of proper food, and the impossibility of devoting proper time and attention to each patient on account of the number of Indians and the extent of the reservations under their oversight. With incompetent nurses to care for the patients in absence of the physician, it is next to impossible to have any instructions, however simple, properly carried out.

Many of the difficulties encountered would be obviated if a hospital were constructed at each agency for the treatment of cases requiring the constant attention of the physician and the care of trained nurses. Small buildings suitable for the purpose could be erected at comparatively slight cost to begin with, and should the necessities of the service increase, the hospital facilities could be gradually enlarged to meet the requirements.

But few additional employés would be required in consequence of the establishment of such hospitals. For each hospital a steward, a matron, one or two nurses, with a cook, a laundress, and a servant would be sufficient. Intelligent Indians who have attended the various training schools can be found at nearly all the agencies and could be utilized for the positions mentioned, as they would be under the constant supervision and direction of the physician, and being accustomed to obey orders would in most cases follow his instructions. The salary list would be quite small considering the benefit that would be derived from such expenditure.

In this connection I believe it would result in great good to the Indians if instruction in the art of nursing were given in the Indian training schools, as it would impress upon the youth who attend those institutions the beneficial results obtained from the rational care of the sick as contrasted with the methods of the medicine men.

Wherever hospitals have been established they have, so far as I am informed, been fruitful of good results, and I am firmly convinced that by judicious management a small hospital at each of the agencies can be made an important factor in furthering the work of civilization among the Indians.

ALLOTMENTS OF LAND IN SEVERALTY.

Since the publication of the last annual report the work of making allotments on the Winnebago Reservation, in Nebraska, and the Grande Ronde reservation, in Oregon, under the act of February 8, 1887 (24 Stat., 388), has been completed by Special Agents Fletcher and Collins, respectively. The schedules of the allotments on the first named reservation will be transmitted to the Department as soon as the necessary clerical work can be completed. Before acting upon the allotments at Grande Ronde it will be necessary to await the receipt of the plats and field-notes of certain additional surveys made in the field.

Allotment work was continued on the Crow Reservation, in Montana, by Special Agent Howard, until the weather put a stop to further oper