Arizona republican., 1898-11-24
RANCHERS HOLDING ON
They Think poini 70 Bet
 fer Prices for Alfalfa Hay.

The TancherS Of the Salt river val-y arl holding the cGnsUl4-~-s of hay in @ state C. anxisty as to tn eir p-o5atle action in regard to the dispcsi.i-n Cf the hay remaining in the vallsy. The shortage of water has left pasturag ge Poor, and the price cf alfalfa climbs steadily upward in cons qu9nce. Cat tie mn are unable to find Plstur3ge G5 any price, and it is said that large numbers cf cattle are dying on the ranges fer want Of fead. Tlo. cCndi- ticn is a serious cn7 to the cattle men, and there ssems to be no ralief fer them in the valley. Or th- scu-h de of the river there arg small a~>5s OS pasture left, but the acreage is nCt sufficient to afford any greas benefit to the cattlamen who -av. hund-e-s Of cattle to feed. Ther3 naver was a tim : when the ranges wee SC barren Of grass ss this wintzr, and tls scarcity Of water in the mountains h3s left the canals in poor condition to supply the dsmands in the vall3y. Some Of the large alfalfa ranches have rot been watered for two months, and the fcSd is becoming very pcoT-
 There is not as much alfalfa in the valley this year as thele was one year ago at this time. RanC1er5 began t1 ship early last spring to sou.h5rn Cal fc.nia, and they kept it Up until the las! crop was haryese-d and baled this fall. Some Cf them made the mist K ? of shipping befCra tEair hay was prep arly cured, and the comm :sston m T who received this hay in southern Cal ifcrnia. complained great dsal about i.. but t:ls shcrtaga Cf hay there male it necessary fer them to receive it a a hign price. An alfalfa ranch i1 this valley is better than 2 geld mins this year. Farmers have received frcn S1 to SC for their hay during ths season. and the prics during the next few months will no doubt reach S10. Scne of the bonanza alfalfa producers have large nuntities of hay on hand, which they intend to h1ld for the mid-wint2t price. Thera is not enough alfalfa in th3 valley for homs consumption until the May crop is cut. This condition has never been known here before, and it ought to creat9 a greater mir S. among men who are interested ln the consAucticn os wetsr storage, rssaT- voirs tC supply water fer the valley during times like thesa.
 A reporter fer the Rcpubli al inter vi wed a number Of t'1e leading ranch CTS of the valley in regard 10 the situa- tion. and he learned that great many Of them were holding th7-r hay TOT ! increase; and they w5re abl- to do this because Of the high p-icss they have received all summer f-r alfalfa, and aided by ths pressnt price Of pastI1ag which is s150 to $2.0O a head per month. I, is likely that the ? -ce will jump frcm $8.5O to $9 and $l0 in Q shcrs time One rancaer so q hay yes te-day q | S9 ton to plI',ies in McDow- eu. This hay was sold in the stack at that prics.
 In the warehouses Of s-uth Cali fornia there is 3. great deal of alfalfa hay stored fer the February price, waich is certain to be much highe9. If any great shipments are mada flom the valley during ths coming month. the ranchars may be given lsssc1 in supply and demand in the rs- turn of the:" own prCdueii- I from the California War shous@s to this valley, and is .pur- chase by some Of ths r2nche who pro duced it. This condition. is no- alto getker improbable, as there are some