REPORTS OF AGENTS IN         UTAH.                181 
as rapid during the past two years as I have wished. What else could be expected

when they spent most of their energy quarreling among themselves? Harmony
of 
feeling exists between them now, and I believe they aredin a position to
do good work 
in coming years. One of the most noticeable results of the advent of the
White Rivers 
here has been to advance them with unusual rapidity, at the same time to
retard the 
progress of the Uintahs, bringing them more-upon a common level. The reservation

is large enough for both tribes, and more; and withal much has been accomplished

toward advancing the Ute tribes in bringing the White Rivers here. 
FARMING AND AGRICULTURE. 
These Indians have made a fair show in farming the past season, although
my sta- 
tistical report does not show a greater number of acres under cultivation
than in 1884. 
I estimate that they have about 243 acres under cultivation, seeded for the
most part to 
oats, wheat, and potatoes. They are now cutting their grain. They will probably

have about 6,000 bushels of oats, 1,900 bushels of wheat, and 1,800 bushels
of potatoes. 
Besides the above, nearly all these Indians who have made any attempt at
agriculture 
have small gardens planted to various kinds of vegetables, which they sell
to the 
white employ6s. 
As a means of encouraging these Indians I would recommend that the oats pur-

chased for the Government stock of this agency be purchased of the Indians-not
by 
contract. They raise enough for all the agency demands. This plan, if once
adopted, 
will encourage the Indians and be a matter of economy to the Department.
For in- 
stance, the Government pays ;2.20 a hundred for oats delivered at Provo,
150 miles 
away, while they can be purchased from the Indians at $1.75 per hundred delivered
at 
the agency mill-a saving of 45 cents in the price of the oats and a completesaving
of 
the freight, $2.75 per hundred. 
The Indians sowed less wheat this year than formerly, mainly because we have
not 
been able to make good flour at the agency grist-mill. The mill is an old
One and 
nearly worn out. It has been a matter of economy to them to raise oats, sell
them, 
and buy flour. There is no market for wheat near here. The Department has

ordered a transfer of the grist-mill from the Ouray to thisagency. When this
is done 
there is no reason why excellent flour should not be made here. The mill
machinery 
to be transferred is all new, never having been set up. 
The season opened early; more rain has fallen than usual, and everything
has 
been encouraging to the Indians. Several of the old farmers have enlarged
their 
fields, and some of the young men have gone to farming for the first time.
A few, es- 
pecially those who own one, two, or three cows, have fenced in grass-land
and turned 
their attention to raising hay-a new departure. In former years they have
de- 
pended, in a great measure, upon the agent for hay, rendering assistance
in the hay- 
field for it. 
I think these Indians raise about one-thfird of their subsistence; one-third
they ob- 
tain from hunting, trapping, and intercourse with the whites; the other third
is fur- 
nished them by the Government. Game is gradually disappearing from the reserva-

tion, and owing to the rapid settlement of lands around the reservation they
are 
compelled to confine their movements, more than ever before, within their
bounds. 
One of two things must happen: They must either raise more grain, or the
Govern- 
ment must furnish them more supplies. 
STOCK. 
Three stallions were purchased for improving the stock of these Indians,
and they 
have used them to a large extent. A herd of 400 cows and heifers and 20 bulls
were 
delivered here last month. They should be given to the most deserving Indians
after 
a time. This reservation is especially adapted to grazing purposes, and if
the Indians 
could once get started in this industry they would do well. One Indian has
475 head 
of as good stock as there is in Utah, worth $12,000; another has 300 head,
and others 
have 50 to 100 head. These they have gained by their own industry. The number
who 
own cattle is very small. 
SCHOOL. 
I opened the agency boarding-school on the 20th of September, 1884, with
a teacher, 
matron, and cook as employis. The attendance was light at first, averaging
not over 
ten or twelve for the first three months. During the winter months the average
at- 
tendance was from twenty to twenty-five. As the Indians began their farming
in the 
spring the larger boys were taken out of school to do farm-work. The school
then 
dwindled down to an average attendance of about ten or twelve again. This
small 
attendance did not warrant the continuance of the school. It was therefore
closed 
on the 18th of May. The school children are bright and~ intelligent, and
would make 
excellent progress if" they only understood the English language. This
school has been