RENT CONTRACTS IN THE WHEAT BELT. 6 



Clay County, Nebr., and Renville County, Minn., represent typical 

 farming along the border of the Corn Belt. Clay County is on the 

 western edge of the Corn Belt in the winter-wheat zone, while Ren- 

 ville County is near the southern boundary in the spring-wheat zone. 

 In each of these counties corn about ranks with wheat, and clover and 

 grasses are of some importance in crop rotations. These character 

 istics, together with the fact that the capacity of the farms to carry 

 live stock is high, would tend to make agriculture in these counties 

 of the general mixed farming type. The average yield per acre of 

 wheat is from 2 to 3 bushels higher than in the counties first men- 

 tioned and the risk in farming is somewhat less, owing to the greater 

 importance of live stock and to greater diversity of crops. 



SYSTEMS OF RENTING FOUND. 



Six distinct systems of renting were found in the localities visited. 

 These systems are named after the share of the crops the landlord 

 receives, or from what is paid for the use of the land. They are 

 classified in Table I in the order of their relative importance. Under 

 the first four, the landlord is given a share of the crops only, as 

 one-third, two-fifths, one-half, or two-thirds. The fifth system 

 gives the landlord a half share of both crops and stock, and the 

 sixth is a cash rent system. 



Table I. — Comparative percentage of tenants who rent under each system of renting found 



in the different locations. 





Landlord's share of crops. 



Locality. 



One- 

 third. 



Two- 

 fifths. 



One- 

 half. 



Two- 

 thirds. 



One-half 



crops and 



stocks. 



Renting 

 for cash. 



Total. 





Per cent. 

 79 

 75 

 42 

 7 

 61 



Per cent. 

 4 

 20 

 

 

 7 



Per cent. 

 9 

 3 

 53 

 88 

 15 



Per cent. 

 3 

 

 

 

 



Per cent. 

 3 

 



f 

 2 



Per cent. 

 2 

 2 

 2i 

 

 15 



Per cent. 

 100 





100 



South Dakota: Spink County. . . 

 North Dakota: Barnes County. . 

 Minnesota: Renville County 



100 

 100 



100 



ONE-THIRD SHARE . 



Under this system, the landlord receives one-third of the grain, 

 usually delivered from the thrashing machine but sometimes tem- 

 porarily stored in bins on the farm. He furnishes land, dwelling, 

 barn, and usually all other farm structures; fences, material for 

 repairs and skilled help for making repairs when necessary; grass 

 seed when sown; and usually pays the real estate and road tax. 

 The tenant furnishes all labor, work stock, machinery and tools, 

 grain seed, and pays for the twine and the expense of thrashing. 



