1867. 



NEW ENGLAND FAEIMER. 



97 



of the principal reasons for their leaving the 

 farm, in the Eastern and JNIiddle States, is the 

 want oi' means to buy and have a farm of their 

 own. How often is it said: "I would like 

 farmino;, if I was only able to own a good farm. 

 But now I nuist either go where land is very 

 cheap, or try some other business.'" Hence, 

 one ol" the best means to keep these men here 

 and secure their labor to Iwlp carry on farm- 

 ing, is to induce them to take or rent farms. 



True, this kind of farming is not as popular 

 as it should be to secure the best success. But 

 this may be remedied by good farming. With 

 good farming the tenant may live well and 

 make money ; and at the same time keep the 

 land in good condition. Poor farming always 

 i-uns down land. Good farming always keeps 

 land growing better. 



To secure good tenant-farming, there are 

 some things necessary that are badly neglected 

 here. One of these things is, that farms are 

 let in a very loose manner. No one should 

 take a farm without being Itound to leave it in 

 as good condition as he Ibund it ; and give se- j 

 curity, if not responsible, for any damage 

 caused by failing to do as he agrees. At the | 

 same time it should be stipulated that, on leav- | 

 ing the farm, the tenant should be paid for all | 

 grass or clover seed sown, manure applied, 

 and other improvements made, v/ith the con- 

 sent of the owner, from which he has not had 

 a sufficient benefit. This renders necessary a 

 system of valuations, as now practiced in Eng- 

 land. In this way the condition of the land 

 can be ascertained and recorded when the 

 tenant takes possession, and then again Avhen 

 he gives it up ; thus showing whether he has 

 improved or injured the land, and how much 

 of either. 



When this is the case, the tenant will be 

 careful not to injure or run down the land, in 

 order to avoid paying damages, while he 

 mil have the two-fold inducement to improved 

 farming, in the better crops and larger profits 

 secured while occupying the land, and the pay 

 for such improved condition when it is given 

 up. So that, while this course will secure the 

 proprietor from damage or loss on the one hand, 

 it will be no detriment on the other ; as he 

 will find his account, in regard to general im- 

 provement, in increase of rent ; while new 

 seeding and unexpended manures will be 

 charged to the next tenant, who will have the 

 beneiit of them. 



True, permanent or long tenancy will gene- 

 rally be best for both parties. But these pro- 

 visions obviate in a great measure the objec- 

 tions to shoi-t leases. Probably one of the 

 best systems of tenant-farming, in this coun- 

 try, is that adopted on the Wadsworth fanns, 

 in Western New York, which are only let from 

 one year to another. But then no tenant is 

 turned off without cause ; the rule being never 

 to turn off a good tenant, nor keep a poor one. 

 These farms are managed by an experienced 

 agent, who each year directs what fields are to 



be sown to wheat, what put into spring crops, 

 and what mowed or pastui'cd ; all being ar- 

 ranged in rotation, so as to keep the land in 

 good condition, and give a reasonable chance 

 to make money. The rent being a certain 

 amount of wheat per acre, for the land sown 

 to wheat ; something less, in money, for spring 

 crops ; less yet for meadow, and least of all for 

 pasture. The tenant also pays a moderate 

 rent for buildings and orchard, and all taxes. 

 Repairs made by tenant, new buildings and 

 fences by landlord. Stipulations in regard to 

 seeding down and maldng manure, favorable 

 to the land, without being hard on the tenant. 

 About one-fifth of the fixrm is generally sown 

 to wheat, which gives a good income to the 

 proprietor, and a good chance to make money 

 to the tenant. 



Now, here is a large number of fanns, all 

 worked under the direction of an aljle and 

 competent manager, in a way that tends to the 

 present and permanent advantage of the 

 owner ; Avhile it makes a permanent and profit- 

 able business for all the good farmers that 

 work them. And all of this is done under a 

 system of yearly leases, arranged and managed 

 so as to work well for both parties. As the 

 land is kept to rent, it is for the interest of the 

 landlord to secure and keep good tenants. So 

 it is not only for the tenant's interest to farm 

 well, in order to raise good crops, but he will 

 do so in order to keep a good farm to work, 

 also. This affords an excellent illustration 

 of what is needed in all cases of renting or 

 letting farms, — a system of management that 

 will secure good tenants, keep the land in good 

 condition, and afford the tenants a good chance 

 to make money. 



Should any one object to a system of work- 

 ing farms where the rotation of crops is laid 

 out for them every year, it may be answered, 

 that prol^ably in nine cases out of ten this 

 course of firming would be much better and 

 more profitable to the tenant than any that 

 would be adopted by one not having the best 

 experience ; that, in fact, it is a great advan- 

 tage, by giving the tenant the benefit of an 

 experience that otherwise he would be likely 

 to purchase too dearly. That it is found to be 

 no disad vantage to those working these farms, 

 is proved by the fact that they don't have to go 

 a begging to get good tenants. 



Much might be said in regard to tenant- 

 farming in England. It would be easy to show, 

 that under the severe competition with the 

 many other nations that seek a market for a 

 large amount of sui-plus products there ; the 

 heavy expenses for rent, taxes, tithes and poor 

 rates ; the large amount that must be invested 

 in manuring, and other necessary expenses, 

 &c., — tenant-farming is a vastly more formida- 

 ble and difficult undertaking there than it is 

 here. So great, indeed, are these expenses 

 and difhculties in England, that it has been 

 said the tenant must farm well, — that he can- 

 not get along without. Yet tenant-farmers do 



