are still uncut, covered by existing contracts, about 100,000,000 feet of timber, which will all be cut within the next three years, according to the contracts, and there are 5,000,000 or 6,000,000 feet of unsold timber, which it is proposed to offer for sale soon, with a view to closing up the Chippewa logging operations in Minnesota within the next three years.

OPENING OF CHIPPEWA AGRICULTURAL LANDS,

MINNESOTA.

On February 19, 1916, instructions issued for the opening to settlement and entry under the homestead laws, as modified by special laws, of 56,175.62 acres of ceded Chippewa lands, Minnesota. Of this area, 52,360.27 acres were "cut-over" pine lands and lands formerly in Mud Lake bottom, and 3,815.35 acres are classified as pine lands and are estimated to contain 1,252 M feet of timber, appraised at $7,093.15. The entrymen for all of these lands are required under section 6 of the act of January 14, 1889 (25 Stat., 642), to pay $1.25 per acre for the land entered, and the entrymen for the pine lands are required to pay the appraised price for the timber at the time of making entry.

MINNESOTA DRAINAGE ENTRIES.

By the act of May 20, 1908 (35 Stat., 169), known as the Volstead Act, the drainage laws of the State of Minnesota were extended to lands subject to entry in said State, and all entered lands, for which no final certificate had issued, and the sale of such land authorized under the laws of the State to enforce the payment of drainage charges legally assessed against such lands. Under this law it is incumbent upon the homesteader to comply with the provisions of the homestead law, in the matter of improvement, cultivation and residence, and also with the State law in respect to the payment of drainage assessments. But in cash entries, made under purchases at tax sales, residence, cultivation, and improvement are not required in order to secure patent.

The greater part of this land is too wet to attract homesteaders, as it is practically impossible for them to comply with the requirements of the homestead law; consequently, advantage is taken of the provision authorizing cash entries by purchasers at tax sales, and more entries were made under such provision in the year past than in any previous year.

There have been approved for patenting 917 of these entries, which are mostly made for an area of 160 acres each, the limit allowed to any one purchaser under the act, and the area thus pat

ented is approximately in the neighborhood of 140,000 acres. There are still pending 81 of these entries.

The drainage of the land is effected by projects constructed under the authority of the county board of the several counties, and the judges of the district courts, in accordance with the law of the State.

A sale of land under this act was held in May, 1916, but as purchasers are allowed 90 days in which to make entry the number of entries resulting from such sale can not be stated at the present time.

SALES OF INDIAN LANDS.

FLATHEAD INDIAN LANDS.

Approximately 78,000 acres, classified as agricultural and grazing lands, situated within the former Flathead Indian Reservation, Mont., were offered for sale to the highest bidders for cash; lands in the Kalispell (Mont.) land district, at Kalispell, on August 16, and lands in the Missoula (Mont.) land district, at Missoula, on August 23, 1915. Adjourned sales were held at Kalispell on November 17, and at Missoula on November 22, 1915. In all 51,643.11 acres were sold for $101,634.10. The sales were made under authority of departmental regulations, approved July 3, 1915, and the act of April 23, 1904 (33 Stat., 302).

COEUR D'ALENE INDIAN LANDS.

Approximately 19,500 acres of land situated within the former Coeur d'Alene Indian Reservation, Idaho, were offered for sale to the highest bidders for cash at Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, on September 1, 1915. An adjourned sale was held at Plummer, Idaho, on November 19, 1915. In all, 3,645.91 acres were sold for $5,265.99. The sales were authorized by departmental regulations, approved July 12, 1915, and the act of June 21, 1906 (34 Stat., 335).

LEMHI INDIAN AGENCY SCHOOL PLANT AND FARM.

The abandoned Lemhi Agency school plant and farm, consisting of 434 acres, valued at $10,400, with buildings thereon appraised at $3,880, were offered for sale to the highest bidder at Lemhi, Idaho, and sold on September 15, 1915, for an amount equaling the total appraisement. The successful bidder was required to make a deposit equal to 25 per cent of the purchase price of the land on the day of the sale, and was required, within 10 days, to increase the amount to 40 per cent. The balance of the purchase money is payable in two equal annual installments. The sale was authorized by the act of July 19, 1912 (37 Stat., 195), and departmental regulations approved

July 27, 1915. Three of the buildings listed for sale in connection with the lands (Nos. 2, 3, and 12) were found not to be situated thereon and were not included in the buildings sold. The unsold buildings were valued at $380.

FORMER SIOUX INDIAN LANDS.

Unentered lands formerly within the Great Sioux Indian Reservation in Lyman County, S. Dak., were offered for sale to the highest bidders for cash-lands in the Pierre (S. Dak.) land district at Pierre, commencing September 20, and lands in the Gregory (S. Dak.) land district at Gregory, commencing September 24, 1915. The lands were restored to the public domain by section 21 of the act of March 2, 1889 (25 Stat., 888). In all 15,057.86 acres were sold for $26,349.41. The sales were made under authority of the act of March 4, 1915 (38 Stat., 1189), and departmental regulations approved August 24, 1915.

ROSEBUD INDIAN LANDS.

Unentered lands within the former Rosebud Indian Reservation, in Lyman and Tripp Counties, S. Dak., were offered for sale to the highest bidders for cash at Gregory, S. Dak., on September 23, 1915. The prices received ranged from $2.50 to $7 per acre. In all 5,763.71 acres were sold for $17,866.07. All tracts offered were sold. The sale was made under authority of the act of March 2, 1907 (34 Stat., 1230), and departmental regulations approved July 28, 1915.

OKLAHOMA LANDS.

The unused, unallotted, and unreserved lands of the Kiowa, Comanche, Apache, and Wichita Tribes of Indians, Oklahoma, were offered for sale to the highest bidders at El Reno, Okla., on December 7, 1915. Purchasers were required to pay one-fourth of the amount of their bids on the day of the sale; the balance to be paid in four equal annual installments. Interest must be paid on the deferred payments at the rate of 4 per cent per annum. The proceeds from the sales less $1.25 per acre will be deposited in the Treasury for the benefit of the Kiowa Agency Hospital fund. The prices received ranged from $1.25 to $25 per acre. In all 3,087.96 acres were sold. The sale was authorized by departmental regulations approved November 15, 1915, and the act of June 30, 1913 (38 Stat., 92).

Undisposed-of lands in the former Cheyenne and Arapahoe Indian Reservation, Okla., were also offered for sale to the highest bidders at El Reno on December 7, 1915. In order to obtain title to these lands purchasers must comply with the general provisions of the homestead laws and pay the amounts bid. One-fifth of the purchase price was required on the day of sale; the balance to be paid in

six equal annual installments. The prices received ranged from $5 to $52 per acre. In all, 615 acres were sold for $18,804. All the

lands offered were sold.

DEVILS LAKE INDIAN LANDS.

Unentered lands within the former Devils Lake Indian Reservation, N. Dak., were offered for sale to the highest bidders for cash at Minot, N. Dak., on June 3, 1916. The prices received ranged from $1.25 to $5 per acre. In all, 819.62 acres were sold for $2,299.15. The sales were made under authority of the act of April 27, 1904 (33 Stat., 319), and the President's proclamation of April 26, 1916.

SHOSHONE OR WIND RIVER.

A tract comprising 2,297.74 acres in T. 4 N., R. 6 E., W. R. M., in the former Shoshone or Wind River Reservation, Wyo., appraised at $1 an acre was sold under the provisions of the act of March 3, 1905 (33 Stat., 1016), at Lander, Wyo., on June 23, 1916, at $7.30 per acre.

ROUND VALLEY INDIAN LANDS.

Commencing on August 29, 1916, there was a public offering at Willits, Cal., of 44,106.73 acres of lands in the Round Valley Indian Reservation, situated in Mendocino and Trinity Counties, Cal. These lands were appraised at $56,230.79, under the act of February 8, 1904 (33 Stat., 706), and were disposed of to the highest bidders without any requirements as to residence, cultivation, and improvements, in blocks averaging 146 acres in each block at not less than the appraised price. There were sold at said sale 42,801.41 acres for $116,652.68 an average of $2.72 per acre, in addition to a commission equal to 33 cents per acre, and the receipts at the sale amounted to $42,040.25.

SALES OF LOTS IN TOWN SITES ON INDIAN RESERVATIONS.

Additional sales were made of lots in the towns of Worley and Plummer, Idaho, in the former Coeur d'Alene Reservation at such towns on September 7 and 9, 1915, respectively, and of lots in the towns of Parshall and Van Hooks, N. Dak., in the former Fort Berthold Reservation at the respective towns on November 7 and 9, 1915.

A second sale of lots in towns on the former Fort Peck Reservation in Montana was held as follows: Wakea at Wakea on June 7, 1916; Blair, Brockton, Chelsea, Frazer, Macon, Sprole, Milk River, Oswego. Poplar, and Wolf Point, at Glasgow, Mont., on June 9 and 10, 1916. No lots were sold in the towns of Blair, Brockton, Chelsea, Macon. and Sprole, but in the remaining towns 141 lots were sold for a total of $8,024, an advance of $2,121 over the appraised price. All the undisposed of lots in the town of Poplar were sold.

OPENING OF INDIAN RESERVATIONS.

FORT BERTHOLD.

The President by proclamation of September 17, 1915, issued under the provisions of the act of August 3, 1914 (38 Stat., 681), directed that the classified coal lands within the former Fort Berthold Reservation in North Dakota, be restored to entry under the general provisions of the homestead laws at not less than their appraised value, beginning May 1, 1916, with a reservation of the coal to the United States.

In order to secure equality of opportunity, it was provided that all . persons desiring to enter any of the lands should file applications therefor during the period from October 18 to 30, 1915, inclusive, at Minot, Bismarck, or Plaza, N. Dak. Thirty thousand five hundred applications were presented, and from this number 2,050 were drawn. Persons whose applications were thus drawn were permitted to file their applications to enter the lands in the order, in which drawn. The lands were appraised at from $2.50 to $8 per acre, and one-fifth of the purchase price was required to accompany the application. Of the first 100 names called 87 responded and 85 completed entry. Six hundred and fifty-one selections were made and 551 entries completed. A person not completing entry was disqualified. At 9 o'clock a. m. June 1, 1916, when the remaining lands became subject to entry generally, 74 applications were presented, of which 48 were allowed. Substantially all the arable lands were entered.

COLVILLE.

Under authority of the act of March 22, 1906 (34 Stat., 80), the President by proclamation of May 3, 1916, provided for the opening of the nonmineral, unallotted, and unreserved lands in the diminished Colville Reservation, Wash., under the general provisions of the homestead laws at not less than their appraised value, and prescribed a registration and drawing to determine the order in which applications to enter may be presented. The appraised prices average about $1.50 per acre, and one-fifth the purchase price must accompany the application.

Registration for such lands was conducted from July 5 to 22, 1916, inclusive, at Spokane, Wenatchee, Colville, Wilbur, Republic, and Omak, Wash., and the drawing at Spokane from July 27 to 29, 1916, inclusive. Applications for registration were presented by 90,410 persons, and from this number 5,500 were drawn and numbered. Selections by persons to whom numbers have been assigned under the drawing began at Omak on September 5, 1916. A period of 10 days following the date of selection is allowed each person within which to complete entry. The unentered lands will on and after 9 o'clock