The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1905-09-01

ton by settlers. This is said to be
among the finest, if not the finest, OF
agricultural lands in the state OF
Montana, and those who are fortunate
enough to draw lands there will not
have cause to regret it, so far as
quality of soil is concerned For the
information of the public Congress-
man Joseph M. Dixon has made pub
lie an interesting article upon the re-
servation, describing the land and
stating the method of filing, etc. He
says:
The Flathead reservation embraces
an area of country little larger than
the state of Delaware, containing ap-
proximately 100000 acres of land
The government surveys are now in
progress and will be completed by De-
cember of this year. Under the terms
of the bill opening this reservation to
settlement, after the surveys are COM
pleted and the plats have been made
and filed, the Indians now on the re.
servation will first receive their allot-
ments of lands, the same being eighty
acres to each person holding tribal re-
lations with the Indians. The govern
ment roll will show about 2,100 per-
sons entitled to settlement; thus it
will take about 100000 acres of land
to allot the Indians, leaving about L.
300 900 acres for settlement. Until
the government surveys are COM
pleted it is impossible to tell how
much of these lands are fitted for
cultivation. | have heard estimates
made by various persons who claim to
have a thorough knowledge of the re-
servation as to the approximate num-
Der of acres of agricultural lands, and
these estimates run from $50 900 to
800 900 acres susceptible of cultiva-
ton.
The reservation is probably the best
watered portion of Montana, some
parts of it requiring no irrigation for
successful farming, as the seepage
from the Mission range of mountains
subirrigates a large portion of the
country on the eastern part of the re-
servat'on. | think anyone who is
acquainted with the country there will
agree that these lands, taking into
consideration the climate, soil, water,
etc. will probably be the most valu-
able farming lands in the state, not
excepting the Gallatin or the Bitter
Root valleys. Fruit can be grown to
perfection. The altitude is somewhat
lower than the Bitter Root valley, and
lying on the west side of the Mission
range the winter temperature is mild
err than any other portion OF western
Montana. After the lands have been
allotted to the Indians, commission
consisting of five persons will ap-
praise the remaining lands under the
terms of the bill, dividing them into
first class agricultural lands, second
class agricultural lands, grazing lands
and timber lands. 1t is impossible to
state at this time what the appraise-
ment Will be, but in the case of the
Rosebud reservation, opened to settle
ment last year, the first class lands
were appraised at S. an acre; the
Devils Lake lands in North Dakota
were appraised at $3.50 an acre.
The secOnd-class lands will natural
ly be fixed at a lower valuation. Lands
can be acquired for the first five years
after opening by homestead entry
alone; one-third of the appraised
valuation must be paid at the time of
the entry and the remaining two
thirds in five equal annual install
ments, without interest.
In order to make entry it will be
necessary for a prospective home
stead seeker to register at either the
Missoula or the Kalispell land office;
this. however. will not be done until
about the spring of 1907, as the lands
will not be opened for settlement I'M
til about that time. The president
will issue a proclamation sixty days
prior to the date of the opening
which will be printed in all of the
Montana papers so that due notice
will be had of the time, place
end method. While no definite ar