ee STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE | 
WY 
a\iZ \ 
LENSS ; 
PT. Wy, 
S 
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY 
Contribution from the Office of Farm Management 
W. L. Spillman, Chief 
Washington, D. C. PROFESSIONAL PAPER January 13, 1916 
A STUDY OF THE TENANT SYSTEMS OF FARMING 
IN THE YAZOO-MISSISSIPPI DELTA. 
By E. A. Borcer, Agriculturist, and E. A. GOLDENWEISER, Statistician, 
Office of Farm Management. 
CONTENTS. 
Page Page 
Bumimary of results... ....2.-.-.-052--------- ie| actorsofproduction==*. --52------4-c-eeeee 7 
ormtonyStudied:. 02. -:22s22-es22--2-2 28 -- 2 {|p ADOLINCOMS jy awe) base sae oe 10 
_ Method of investigation..................-.-- AN wandlords: PLOuts ! so s-ea.< sec Sone aes 12 
Methods of renting land...........----.----- 6 | Acreage and yield of cotton............-..-.. 13 
SUMMARY OF RESULTS. 
This study, made in 1913, is based on 878 records relating to the 
business of tenants on plantations in the Yazoo-Mississippi Delta. 
Comparison is made between share croppers, who supply nothing 
but their labor and receive one-half of the crop; share renters, who 
supply their own implements and live stock and receive two-thirds 
or three-fourths of the crop; and cash renters, who supply the same 
items as share renters but pay a fixed rent in cash or lint cotton. 
The principal facts brought out Dy this investigation may be 
stated as follows: 
The share cropping system is the safest for the tenant. The share 
cropper is practically assured of average wages for his work, but he 
rarely makes a large income. 
The share renter fails more frequently to make even a bare living, 
but has a better chance to make a good income than has the share cropper. 
The cash renter runs still greater risk of failure, but has the greatest 
opporitumty of making a labor income of not less than $1,000. 
The average labor income for share croppers was $333; for share 
renters, $398; and for cash renters, $478. 
From the point of view of the landlord the situation is reversed. 
13654°—Bull. 337—16——1 
