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Show COMMISSIONER INDIAN ASFAIRS. 17 that the largest herd, comprising 9,021 head of cattle and 261 bulls, was purchased for the Indians of the Crow Reservation under the provisions of the act of April 27,1904. (33 Stat. I*, 352353.) This herd has been placed in a separate pasture set aside for its exclu-sive use. They are in splendid condition, and the Indians have cut and stacked 5,000 tons of hay to be fed these cattle next winter. Many of the Indians have heretofore opposed the plans for the improvement of the grade of animals belonging to them and for re-placing the worthless male stock with animals of improved breed. They are, however, gradually beginning to appreciate the benefits to be derived from this policy as the results of such breeding become apparent. This is aptly illustrated by the fact that, although the Indians of the Cheyenne River Reservation were opposed to the establishment of a breeding station on their reservation, the superin-tendent reports that they have bred over 600 mares at that station during the present season. While the development of the horse-breeding industry as a means of livelihood for the Indians is largely confined to those reservations located in North and South Dakota and Montana, high-grade stal- 1ions.have been provided for many of the other reservations in order that high-grade worlr horses may be provided to enable the Indians to cultivate their allotments, engage in freighting, and for market. Some idea may be had of the benefits that will be derived by im-proving the grade of the 1,500,000 sheep belonging to the Navajo Indians living in the Southwest by the fact that experiments during the past year have demonstrated that the result of the first cross between native sheep and high-grade rams is the production of an animal 20 to 25 per cent greater in weight and yielding 50 to 60 per cent more wool of a considerably better grade than that produced by the native Navajo sheep. Owing to the limited amount of funds available for expenditure for the benefit of the Indians living in that locality it is impracticable to introduce a sufficient number of rams to improve the entire number of sheep belonging to these Indians at one time, but the plans outlined contemplate the yearly purchase of such number of rams as available funds will permit to be issued to Indians in payment of labor, which, with those purchased by the more prosperous Indians with their personal funds and under the supervision of the superintendents in charge of their reservations, will aid materially in the development of this industry. The cooperation of representatives of the Bureau of Animal In-dustry has aided materially in the inspection of animals purchased and the eradication of infectious diseases among the animals on the various Indian reservations, particularly the disease of dourine, which had spread to an alarming extent among the horses belonging to the Indians living on the reservations located in Montana and |