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Show 36 REPORT 'OW COMMISSIONER OB IBDIAN ~WAIBG. laterals, covering approximately 42,000 awes, at an average ,wst of $7.84 an acre. The money advanced by the Government to perfect the irrigating systems is limited to $600,000, and is to be reimbumd by the Indians. The area now under cultivation is only 5,360 acres under canals built since 1905, and 5,780 acres under ditches built prior to that time, a total of but 11,140 acres, the greater part of this being cultivated by white lessees of Indian allotments. The Utes do aot take to farm-ing readily, and the remoteness of the country makes it mcult for them to lease their lauds. Wind River (Shoshoni).-The year's progress on this reservatiw was good, the amount expended being $110,820.80. The area of irri-gated land under cultivation is only 2,181 acres. The appropriation act for 1909 authorizes the leasing of irrigable lands, both tribal and allotted, for terms not exceeding twenty years, , for cultivation under irrigation. Efforts will be made to introduce sugar-beet culture here. Zwiii.-The Z~ dam was completed early in the spring of 1908 at II a total cost of $262,990.84, the expenditure for Indian labor amount-ing to $92,766.21. The construction of the dam and irrigation system was authorized by the department on July 22,1903, the work to be under the direc- ' tion and supervision of John B. Harper, superintendent of irrigation Mr. Harper discharged his duties with great energy and zeal and lived to see the darn completed, but died soon afterwards, on March 25, 1908. The employees who served under him have been granted permission to set into the rock work of the dam a small marble slab with the inscription: " Zuiii Dam: John B. Harper, Member Amer. Soc. C. E.: 1908." This tribute to the memory of a very faithful and efficient field worker is regarded by the office as most appropriate, Superintendent H. I?. Robinson was designated to take up Mr. Harper's work and has begun the wnstruction of the main canal at Zuiii. Chief Engineer Code reports that the work will be prose-cuted vigorously in order that the Indian lands may be supplied with irrigation facilities for next season's crops. TIMBER ON INDIAN RESERVATIONS. In my report for 1907 I referred to the fact that much of the timber on Indian reservations, especially in the Southwest, is over-ripe, and its death means a loss to the Indians of millions of dollars every year. I urged the importance of legislation applicable to all Indian reservations, whether allotted or unallotted, authorizing the sale of the timber under such regulations and restrictions as might |