76 



UNITED STATES - AGRICULTURAL ECONOMY IN GENERAL 



this purpose. On many of the reservations the Indians also maintain 

 farmers' clubs organized with a view to promoting their agricultural 

 welfare. 



The principal concern of the Ser\dce at the present stage of. Indian 

 progress is to make them producers instead of merely consumers, from 

 which it necessarily follows that the greatest strength of its agricultural 

 organization has been directed toward production rather than distribution. 

 Therefore, no particular organization is maintained for the specific purpose 

 of marketing Indian agricultural products, each Indian being permitted 

 to dispose of his surplus crops wherever he pleases. The Superintendent, 

 however, may advise them with respect to the best markets and must 

 see that they obtain fair prices for their products. 



Schoolroom instruction is given the Indian boys in the theory and 

 principles of modern agriculture, which they must then apply in actual 

 practice on individual tracts of land assigned to them on a farm maintained 

 for this purpose, the crops produced being utilized for the partial support 

 of the school. 



The related subject of honae economics among the Indian women is 

 given much attention, involving, as it does, the preparation of food from 

 the products of the soil, a force of sixty-eight field matrons being employed 

 to instruct the Indian women in all that pertains to successful home- 

 making and healthful living, particularly the preparation and ser^dng of 

 food. Theoretical and practical instruction on such topics is also given 

 the Indian girls while at school. 



Quantity and Value of Crops Produced by Indians. Fiscal Year 1916. 



Produce 



Average Value 



Total 



Alfalfa hay, etc 

 Barley and rye 



Com 



Oats 



Wheat . . . . 

 Vegetables . . . 



237,605 

 231,498 



1,117,797 

 1,471,020 

 1,430,830 



$ 2,032,641 



185,108 



503,010 

 470,726 



1,359,288 

 742.856 



Total 



S 5,293,719 



