The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1912-11-30
Sort Peck Reservation Ready for
Settlers Next Spring.
Last BIG Tract Left In West-SoII
Unusually Productive In Grain,
AZ Shown BY Progress Made
BY Tribes Themselves


land In Montana. now known as the
Fort Peck Indian reservation. viii be
thrown open for settlement by the
government next spring. This Is the
last large tract Of public land In the
west that has not been opened to set
tiers.
Inasmuch as less than one per cent
of this land has been cultivated and all
OF 1t is said to be fertile, 1t Is esti-
mated that the harvest will be en-
riched. by 100000 bushels Of grain
q year after it is settled and devel-
oped The share of this tract allotted
to Indians of many tribes is 1858
acres. The rest is unoccupied.
"On the superstition that the unoc-
cupied lands were devoted to the
growing of wheat on the summer fall
low plan, which would mean that one
half the area would be In crop at one
time, and on the further supposition
that the wheat would yield rs bushels
per acre, which is moderate esti-
mate for yields on land thus prepared.
the aggregate production would be 49,
312, 500 bushels" Thomas Shaw. agrt
cultural expert. estimates
Prof. Shaw further says: If this
land were entirely devoted to the
growing of barley on the summer fal-
low plan, the yield would be So,9oo.-
600 bushels. as barley grown on such
land should average 40 bushels per
acre. II the entire area were de-
voted to the growing Of oats on the
same lines, the total production would
be 3S,626,000 bushels. as so bushels
per acre would not be an extrava-
CANT estimate for land thus farmed."
The Fort Peck reservation will also
be the scene of unique event when
the first county fair ever held by In
dian tribes will open there. At this
fair will be shown the rapid progress
made by the red men in extensive
agriculture after only few years OF
instruction in modern farming meth.
DDS.
There will be exhibited at this time
some unusual specimens Of grain and
grasses that will also be entered
later In the year at eastern land
shows in competition with prize
products of the white man. This
progress has all been made In the las,
two years. since before that time
hardly any of the land was being
developed with modern methods.
A year ago the Great Northern rail
road sent q representative body Of the
tribes inhabiting this region to the
New York land show to give them ar
opportunity to see what the white
man was doing to wrest living from
the soil. The exhibits there were
carefully studied. and the representa-
tives returned to their prairie homes
with ideas az revolutionary a. the,
proved to be profitable. Instead o
truck farmers living In tepees.s the!
resolved to be ranchers living II
comfortable cottages overlooking
thousands Of acres. That they wen
to work with q vim . shown by thu
fact that at the present time Their
are twice az many acres of land unde
cultivation rs there were q year ago
Agriculture 10 not the only form o
American civilization the Indians Oh
this reservation have assimilated
They have also learned to play foot
ball.
The Indian civilization will not b.
entirely overshadowed by what ha
been learned from the white man
however. all the old tribal custom
will be perpetuated in dances an,
ceremonies that have been hande
Town for centuries.
The Sioux will hold their annua
festival at which all the weird rite
| Of their forefathers viii be used