GROWING SUGAR BEETS IN THE BILLINGS REGION. 



33 



Table XI. — Apportionment of interest, taxes, and charges for irrigation tvater 

 for groioing sugar beets on rented lands and owned farms in the Billings 

 region. 



Classification of farms. 



Number 

 of farms. 



Acres of 

 beets. 



Cost for land. 



Total. 



Per acre. 



Per ton. 





305 



8,849 



1,620 



. 3,801 



3,428 



$104,931 



15, 226 

 49,071 

 41,098 



$11.85 



.9.25 

 12.91 

 11.99 



$1.10 



Beetlands: 



.85 





1.28 





1.04 







The charges pertaining to owned lands are figured on the estimated 

 value of the land planted to beets, with interest at the rate of 8. per 

 cent. Lands under cash rentals are figured on a similar basis as to 

 the value of the land in beets and the value of other lands on the 

 farm, so as to charge the proper amount for beet lands. Lands 

 under share rentals are figured on the basis of the value of the share 

 of beets and beet tops that the landlord receives. This may be a 

 little high when considered from the basis of the landlord's expecta- 

 tion that the beet-land rental will bring up the average rental of the 

 farm which has a considerable acreage in grains and hay, on which 

 a less rental per acre is paid to the landlord. The usual share of the 

 beets paid for rental is one-fifth of the crop, and in many cases the 

 landlord requires that a certain acreage of land be planted to beets. 

 The tops are divided in various ways, there being no prevailing 

 method as to the division. 



Share renters on a few farms gave the landlord as much as one- 

 half of the crop for rental ; but in all of these cases the extra rental 

 was for some special expense borne by the landlord, such as furnish- 

 ing seed, part of the contract labor, a supply of manure, or the equip- 

 ment and work stock. Under such conditions allowances were made 

 for these extra items furnished, and this amount is properly deducted 

 from the landlord's total charge, as the tenant in such cases is giving 

 part of the crop for something else than the land on which to grow 

 it, and the landlord is paying other expenses than those properly 

 called land charges. These special rentals are not common, and in 

 most cases the landlord, being responsible for the success of the crop, 

 usually demands a good return for his investment. The tenants on 

 such farms are often men who have very little capital, and they 

 would be unable to handle farms of any size unless provided with 

 some outside capital. 



Cash rentals are much lower than the share rentals, owing to the 

 small risk taken by the landlord, who is certain of a definite income 

 from the farm: but the landlord who rents land for a share of the 



