THE OCCUPATION OF THE LAND 147 



that tenancy is much more prevalent in the Lower 

 than in the Upper Peninsula. The percentage of 

 rented farms in the two peninsulas is given as 21 and 

 8 respectively. 



In 1921, the statistician of the Cooperative Crop 

 Eeporting Service found that approximately 18 per 

 cent of the farms of the State is rented, of which 

 15 per cent is on shares and 3 for cash. The aver- 

 age size of theso farms is §8.5 acres with a value 

 of $7,750. The average cash rental paid was $175 

 per annum, which averages something over five dol- 

 lars an acre.^ The Fourteenth United States Cen- 

 sus indicates that, in 1920, the numbei- of farms 

 operated by owners had fallen off 12,901 during the 

 previous decade ; while the number of farms operated 

 by tenants had increased by 2,033. The number of 

 farms operated by managers had increased by 358. 

 (See Appendix A.) 



As compared with the southern peninsula, land 

 holdings in the north of Michigan are much larger 

 and ownership is concentrated in a few persons and 

 corporations. The situation is set forth by the 

 Bureau of Corporations of the United States De- 

 partment of Commerce in its report on the lumber 

 industry of July 13, 1914. The investigations of 

 the Bureau led it to the conclusion that of the 

 Upper Peninsula's area of over 10,080,000 acres, 

 about 56 per cent was held by ninety owners. Thirty- 

 two owners held 47 per cent of the area ; thirteen 

 37 per cent, and one, the Cleveland Cliffs Iron 



»"Mich. Crop. Kept.," March, 1921, p. 4. 



