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Show COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFPAIRS. 37 flaxseed were planted this spring. The principal object of this farm is not so much to show the Indians what can be accomplished as to raise pure seed and a good grade of breeding stock to be sold to the Indians at cost, so that they may improve their farm products and replace their inferior breeding stock with pure-bred stock. The business committee of the tribe has indorsed the plans under way, and the Indians generally are much interested in the project. At the Lower Brule Reservation 25 acres of land was set aside, and this tract is known as the dry farm. This farm is conducted for the purpose of demonstrating to the Indians what can be aceom-plished by proper cultivation of the soil on their own farms. At Santee a tract of 15 acres is used for demonstration purposes, from which, the Indians obtain pure seed corn. Hogs are also being raised for sale to the Indians at moderate prices in order to enable them to get a good start in the hog industry. Demonstration farms were also maintained at a number of other Indian schools in connection with the regular school farm work. REIMBURSABLE BUNDS POR PROMOTING AGRICULTURE. At this time there are 154 accounts outstanding against the Indians on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation, in Montana, by reason of their participation in the use of the $25,000 reimbursable fund appro-priated by the act of April 30, 1908 (35 Stat. L., 70, 83). Thesc accounts represent purchases of agricultural implements, fence wire, and seed. Under the act of March 3,1909 (35 Stat. L., 781,795), the moneys repaid by the Indians into this fund are available for re-expenditure for the purposes stated in the' act of 1908. The total expenditure made from the fund since its establishment amounts to $29,768.26. Fifteen thousand dollars of this amount has been repaid by the Indians and is now available for reexpenditure. During the year the Indians have been reluctant to make use of the fund, giving as their reason that they did not care to go into debt. The Indians of the Tongue River Reservation have been particu-larly active during the year in the use of the $15,000 reimbursable fund'appropriated by the act of April 4,1910 (36 Stat. L., 269,277) ; $14,826 have been expended in the purchase of agricultural imple-ments, mares, stallions, seeds, and nursery stock. Sales have been made to the Indians amounting to $12,466.82, and the collectione made to date amount to $5,283.15. During the year approximately $5,443.20 has been expended from the $10,000 reimbursable fund established at the Blackfeet Reserva-tion, in Montana, from "Indian moneys, proceeds. of labor." This money was expended for fence wire and in the purchase of supplies* and for employment of labor required to operaie the steam traction |
