Arizona republican., 1910-07-18
RESERVOIR ADVANTAGE Observations of Two Water Users
 MORE WATER MORE CROPS What One Rancher Expects
 to Accomplish This Sea
 son With the Use of Res
 ervoir Water Which He
 Is Now Receiving
MORE WATER MORE CROPS

Since becoming a stockhOlder in the Tempe canal. G. R. Finch has devoted some little thought and study to the water situation. In his search for in formation on the benefits of the reser- voir. he wrote H. C. Yeager and the reply. MT. Finch suggests. be pub lished. It is as follows:
 Phoenix, July 18th. Robert Finch. Tempe, Ariz.
 My Dear Bob: Yours to hand ask ing what benefit we hope to realize this present season by reason of pull ing out of the Tempe canal and re- ceiving our irrigating water from the government or Roosevelt project.
 The old home ranch has 300 acres in cultivation; 16O acres have been har- vested of sugar beets. This land my tenants are now planting to milo maize and COW peas mixed; 5000 pounds of milo have been produced around Phoe- nix per acre. This seems to be a safe basis to figure on if you have plenty of water. The market value of milo is the same as that of corn or barley. It is also a safe basis to figure on five tons or more of first class fodder per acre. The COW peas and milo stalks make desirable feed, nearly equal to alfalfa hay. The 140 acres in alfalfa will harvest two extra cut tings over what we would have with out government water. That means 25O tons or so more hay than we could get without the reservoir. We expect also to put quite a section of land one and a half miles west of the home ranch into straight sorghum. We think this safe under perfect conditions for five tons per acre. We expect to feed all to cattle or sheep. It is hard to predict at the present time the real money value, but 1,60O tons of well cured fodder and 25O tons of good al falfa hay will produce some beef or mutton. beside the milo crop of grain will have a considerable cash value
 Now Robert, if you can. prevail on them to join the Water Users associa- ton that they may be able to vote on the 21st of July on the proposed power plants. If this carries, it will extend the payment on the reservoir for two years more. I am officially advised that the contracts now pending will amount to S1 per acre per year on the reservoir cost, thereby reducing the yearly payment to that extent. I be- lieve that in less than ten years the Water Users Association will be de- irving profit from the Roosevelt pro ject instead of paying money out on it's construction. Your very truly,
 I'll. C. YEAGER"- I
 After reading MT. Yeager's letter Mir. Finch prepared and submitted the following statement for publication:
 After reading MT. Yeager's letter, I thought it would be well to relate my experience in farming with Tempe wa ter. About the 1st of June I purchased the undivided half interest in a quar- ter of section 15. At the time 771R acres were ready for harvest, being in barley. About ten acres of this was in alfalfa. I had invested quite a little money in my share of the deal and was anxious to get all I could for my money l and my partner decided to put in a summer crop, but upon in vestigation found that we could not se- cure the necessary water supply. We found it difficult to keep the ten acres of alfalfa alive, and at one time bought 1 an extra run of water. So far all we have to show for our two months in- l terest on our investment is four or five | tons of alfalfa. But still I think the | land is going to be very valuable and | want 100 per cent on my investment | The land is signed up under the res | ervoir and we expect to get water through the government ditches soon. I seriously think it is up to the Tempe | Canal company to take measures look ing toward some sort of an agreement | with the government Respectfully.
 "G. R. FINCH"