858 SUCCESSFUL FARMING 



evils depend upon the land-owner and the tenant, rather than upon the 

 system. Where both conspire to rob the soil, the landlord will ultimately 

 be forced to sell and eventually the tenant will have to discontinue renting. 

 The landlord should pursue a policy that will provide for the maintenance 

 of permanent soil fertility, and should offer terms that will secure the 

 co-operation of a tenant who can see the advantage of such a sj'stem. 



There are marked advantages in the long-time lease for both landlord 

 and tenant, but as yet relatively few land-holders are willing to enter into 

 long contracts with tenants. Investigations show that permanency on the 

 part of a tenant makes for a higher standard of farming than where tenants 

 are changing annually from farm to farm. 



Relation to Progress. — In these times of extensive co-operation, a 

 shifting tenant population blocks progress along agricultural lines. Such 

 movement,, common in the South and in the prairie states, affects not 

 only marketing, but the character of schools, churches and other helpful 

 institutions. 



Closer sympathy between owner and tenant is needed. Both should 

 realize that a farm will not stand the old-time drain on fertility and con- 

 tinue to. yield a profit. In England, where tenantry is usually common, the 

 long-time lease prevails. There legislation has been enacted in the interest 

 of both landlord and tenant, providing for the adjustment of capital 

 invested in improvements or fertilizers, in case the tenant leaves. 



Classes of Land-Owners. — There are three classes of land-owners that 

 rent their land, viz., retired farmers, who think the rent of the farm will 

 enable them to live in town; business men, who buj r farms for an invest- 

 ment ; and speculators, who buy because they expect a rise in land values. 

 These all rent to men who cultivate the land. The contracts made between 

 owner and tenant should be such as to provide for permanent improve- 

 ments and for "soil fertility better than would be necessary if the owner 

 farmed the land. Two families, instead of one, must live from the farm 

 returns. 



Under the present system of tenantry, ownership on the part of the 

 tiller of the soil has decided advantages. It stimulates interest in building 

 up the farm and providing improvements. 



Fanning with Small Capital. — Land values have increased so rapidly 

 that profitable farm ownership requires considerable capital. As a result, 

 men with limited capital are obliged to farm as tenants. This enables them 

 to pat all their capital into livestock and equipment. Investigations show 

 that they generally make more on rented farms than they possibly could 

 on farms of such size as their limited capital would enable them to purchase. 

 Recent farm surveys in Indiana, Illinois and Iowa show that tenants with 

 SI 758, $2867 and $2667, respectively, invested in machinery and live- 

 stock, made average labor incomes of $755, $1139 and $716, respectively. 

 The average labor income of farm owners for these same districts in the 

 same year was only $310, $622 and $291, respectively. The capitalization 



