FORMS OF LAND TENURE IN THE UNITED STATES 277 



windmill he is less likely to let the wheel run loose in a high 

 wind or let it run for weeks at a time without oil. 



Fence posts. Where post timber is found in the farm wood- 

 lot it is common practice for the tenant to make the posts needed 

 for repairs. The main difficulty arises from the fact that tenants 

 do not often make the posts early enough to give them time to 

 season before they are put into the ground. The remedy 

 suggested by one landlord is to keep a supply of posts on hand 

 on the farm all the time and require the tenant to make, under 

 the direction of the landlord, as many posts each year as he has 

 found occasion to use. This problem is easily solved where the 

 landlord looks after all repairs and pays the tenant for his 

 labor in making repairs. 



Firewood. It is the common practice where there is a wood- 

 lot on the farm, to allow the tenant to secure firewood free of 

 charge. It is often prescribed that only dead and down timber 

 may be taken for this purpose. In any case growing trees 

 should not be cut until all dead timber has been taken. It is 

 usually prescribed that all tops or slashings not taken for firewood 

 shall be piled and burned by the tenant. 



The road tax. The general rule is for the tenant to work or 

 pay the road tax. It is often stated that in return for this service 

 the tenant shall be allowed to secure firewood from the farm, 

 although in some cases where this latter privilege is not granted 

 the tenant is required to work the road tax without any special 

 compensation beyond the use he gets of the road. 



Duration of leases. There is perhaps more land let for 

 one year at a time or from year to year, than on any other terms 

 in the Corn Belt, and yet three-year leases and five-year leases 

 are very common, and leases for two years and for four years 

 have occasionally been noted. It is not uncommon to lease a 

 farm for a period of three or five years, and then allow the tenant 

 to remain on the farm from year to year after this period has 

 elapsed, in case this is agreeable to both parties. Another 

 method is to let the farm for one year with the agreement that 

 if the parties are both satisfied with the arrangement the first 

 year, the contract becomes good for two or four more years. 



