UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
BULLETIN No. 850 a 
"ScPlitj J? OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY ^ 
Contribution from the Office of Farm Management 
H. C. TAYLOR, Chief 
Washington, D. C. 
April 20, 1920 
RENT CONTRACTS IN TYPICAL COUNTRIES OF THE 
WHEAT BELT. 
By E. A. Boeger. Agriculturist. 
CONTENTS. 
Sources of information 
Description of areas .' 
Systems of renting found 
Minor factors concerned in renting of farms. 
Share rent of land without buildings 
Leases 
1 The lease year 
1 Tenants' preferences and prospects 
3 The landlord's opinion as to the long lease . . . 
Prospective ownership by tenants 
Belief of tenants as to trend of rents 
1 Probable increase in tenancy in areas visited . 
Page. 
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SOURCES OF INFORMATION. 
THE FACTS upon which this discussion is based were procured 
primarily for the purpose of acquainting the tenants in any of 
of the principal wheat-producing States with the methods of renting 
in vogue in other parts of the region. It was thought, also, that 
the information collected would be welcomed by both landlords and 
tenants as increasing their knowledge concerning the renting of farms 
in their own localities. 
The material here presented was gathered in the spring of 1917 ; 
from tenants who were visited on their farms in the various localities 
chosen for the inquiry. Two considerations governed the selection 
of the counties to be visited, viz, the relative importance of the wheat 
crop and the per cent of tenancy. The desired combination of con- 
ditions seemed most likely to be found in Barton County, Kans. ; Clay 
County, Nebr.; Spink County, S. Dak.; Barnes County, N. Dak.; 
and Eenville County, Minn. (For the location of the counties visited, 
see fig. 1.) The number of records obtained in these counties, in the 
order named, was 80, 91, 79, 71, and 82, respectively. 
DESCRIPTION OF AREAS. 
• When comparing ways of renting in any one county with those 
of another, it should be taken into account that though each of the 
counties in which investigations were made is situated in a typical 
wheat-producing area, the organization of the farms and the practices 
differ more or less on account of differences in geographical location. 
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