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Show 34 COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN -FAIRS. I for breeding or other purposes. Should this plan be successful, it is proposed to adopt it on other reservations in order that the range heretofore grazed by them may be available for stock that has a marketable value. The tribal herds on practically all of the reservations have been profitable and individual Indians generally have been successful in the management of their live stock. The Indians have shown a remarkable adaptability for stock raising and they are coming to understand that it is desirable to own well-bred stock rather than the inferior animals raised by them in former years. While the tribal herds are high grade, the cattle, hones, and sheep owned by the individual Indians are fast approaching the same standards. There are practically no long-horned cattle on Indian reservations. Pony stallions are being castrated and replaced with Percherons or other equally good breeds. The flocks of sheep that have for years been permitted to inbreed are being rapidly improved by the introduction of the best rams, with the result that already the wool from Indian sheep is a much higher class than heretofore-almost if not quite as high grade as the wool from the sheep owned by white men. Many Indians have demonstrated themselves to be the equal of their white neighbors as stock raisers. Their recent advancement in this respect has been remarkable. Furthermore, it has intensxed their interest in doing things since they have come to realize the profits involved in personal effort. While endeavoring to put the Indian into business for himself, because it means self-support and a corresponding reduction in appropriations, we have at the same time sought to so develop con-ditions as to increase the carrying capacity of the grazing lands. This we have accomplished largely by developing and increasing the water supply, with the result that the Indian reservations are now capable of supporting many more thousand head of stock than formerly. For the better protection and care of the stock of the Indians and the lessees much fencing has been done and increased efforts maae to avoid depredations from wild animals. Altogether the Indiana have been great gainers from this pro-cedure, and the white stockmen have found grazing privileges on Indian reservations much more desirable than ever before. IRRIGATION. Commensurate with available appropriations and the steadily 1 rising prices of labor and material the irrigation work has progressed during the year. When it is borne in mind that the estimates for 1 many of the projecta were made several yeam ago and with an in- I crease of anywhere from 25 to over 100 per cent in the cost of labor I |