MF1323.1197 Reel 41_0006

California B47 Wm [William] Bryson Smith River Agency Cal. Dec. 19 '65

Submits report of farming operations for 1865

Trans Ports Civ Dis Jany 31st 1866 See letter to Supt Maltby Jany 31. 66

Land

[ink stamp] RECEIVED AT THE Jan 29 1866 INDIAN BUREAU

[Eut?]

[left page] $1200 472 -276 1948 * 40 [illegible] $2727.20

Smith River Indian Agency Cal Decr 19 1865

Sir

I transmit herewith a statement of farming operations on this agency for the year closing Sept 30 1865

I was not [aware?] until very recently that I was required to make these reports directly to your Office. Similar ones have been furnished and forwarded to the Supt of Indian Affairs at San Fransicso regularly at the close of each quarter comparing the operations of each quarter but I have not before been required to forward any official papers directly to your office but will endeavor to do so promptly in the future as per my present instruction.

Respectfully yours Wm [William] Bryson US Indian Agent

Hon Mr Cooley Comr of Ind Affairs Washington City

Smith River Indian Agency Cala December the 15th 1865

Sir

I have the honor to submit the following report of farming operations on this agency for the present year closing September the 30th 1865

The lands cultivated by government here for Indian purposes consists of [illegible?] rented farms as follows 1st Saville & Darby farm the headquarters of the agency where all the Indians are located composing 1000 acrs of land 223 acrs of which is under cultivation rents payable quarterly at the rate of $1200 pr annum in coin, 2nd Henry Smiths farm of 118 acrs all [illegible?] [long?] at [$4?] pr acr in coin, 3rd L. W. Jones Farm of 69 acrs [all?] [Plun?] land at $4 pr acr in coin all payable quarterly making in all 409 acrs of land cultivated as follows 110 acrs in wheat, 45 acrs in Peas, 60 acr in Oats - 100 acrs in Potatoes, 28 acrs in [Rutabagas?] & Carrots & other vegetables, 43 acrs in [Timothy Madory?] the balance of the 409 acrs occupied for an Indian [vilage?] [Calf?] [Padum?] &c which Produced the following results 2750 bushels of wheat, 1750 Bushels of Oats, 700 Bushels of Peas, 3600 bushels of Rutabagas, 17000 Bushels of Potatoes, 15 bushels of Beans & 100 [illegible?] Timothy Hay

The vegetable crop was much damaged in the early part of the season by the [army worm?] which came in great numbers just as the young vegetables were coming through the ground and [destroyed?] about 20 acrs of Potatoes and the [entire?] Carrot Crop, and Part of

the Rutabagas which were replaced again by replanting and transplanting by which means a sufficient Rutabagas crop has been provided. The Pea Crop was also badly damaged, then came from the Peas after the worms had eaten them off a second growth, which Produced about one fourth of a crop of what would of been produced from the same ground had they not been damaged by the worm but as it is then is a sufficiency of anything to subsist the Indians until the new Crop comes in and perhaps a small surplus of some articles.

The farming operations are conducted mostly under the Supervision of the powerful Farmer Mr. harrison, with other white employees enough to merely Superintend the work and see that the Indians perform the labor and instruct them in the same. In honest our White man is employed with the threshing machine to keep the Machinery in repair, the Indians [illegible] the team for the machine, haul the grains to the machine, [illegible] off the storage and haul the grain to the granery and store it away and perform all the ordinary labor, they not being sufficiently skillful to take chargeof the machinery themselves, but capable of performing all the labor under the Supervision of Competent White men in reaping grains I use a reaping machine managed much in the same way and which man generally [uses ?] the machine, and the Indian make off the grain, for all ordinary work & appoint Indian [illegible] Selecting the ones that are least informed, who assist in cauling the laborer Mah and Temale went to the field superintendents [illegible]bending and shoveling of grain putting up hay planting and hoeing Rutabagas and [illegible] plowing and planting potatoes and digging and gathering the same---

In all this kind of work they send a material assistant and in many instances are quite trusty- Indians under them charge and liable to the same punishment for any disobidience to them commands, that they are for disobeying a white man, No Indian hence is allowed to administer punishment but reports to the Farmer for investigations, among the Indians on the Reservation then is no Chiefs or Federal head, hence the necessity for this arangement of Compelling obedience to Certain ones in Consignment of this [illegible] knowledge and usefulness.

It is surely and objectionable feature in the managem ent of Indians to keep them employed upon rented lands an Indian is naturally indolent and lazy , and is doubly more so when Compelled to live and labor upon property that belongs to another They constantly insist that government buy this property and make them the permanent owners, they they would then be encouraged to give and make permanent improvements. with the understand -ing that they are not to be dispossesed they would be more energetic and enterprising and cultivate a more general interest in their own welfare, in cultivating the soil and improvement of their homes by keeping them upon rented property all these faculties and tendencies to cultivation and improvement is [supplied?]. Merely dragging along from year to year, without any encouragement for the present or hopes for the future, having always an abundance of provisions which is provided on the farms and very limited supply of clothing never getting more than one fourth of what would be a reasonable allowance, and bring in [illegible] constant fears of being suddenly removed to some distant County with which they are unacquainted and against which they are naturally and deeply prejudice. This even in my opinion should be