RENT CONTRACTS IX THE "WHEAT BELT. 
11 
In Renville County, Minn., about half of the leases on the farms 
visited begin in the spring (March or April', while half of them begin 
in the fall (October or November). A few of the leases here begin in 
the spring and end in the fall or winter, or vice versa, the lease period 
in these cases being for more than one year. 
TENANTS' PREFERENCES AND PROSPECTS. 
PREFERENCE AS TO LEASE PERIOD AND SHARE OR CASH RENT TO BE PAID. 
As seen from Table VI. from 60 to S6 per cent of the tenants in the 
localities visited prefer the long lease, and from 85 to 100 per cent 
prefer share to cash renting. 
Table VI. — -Tenants' preferences as to length of lease and cash or share rent. 
Locality. 
Proportion of tenants- 
Who prefer — Who prefer — 
' Indiffer- 
ent as 
The long Th h H length of j to how 
lease. Share rent. Cashrent. paid. 
Indiffer- 
ent as to 
10 years] . 
lease. 
Percent. 
Kansas: Barton Countv. . . .- 70 
Nebraska: Clay County 
South Dakota: Spink County 77 
North Dakota : Barnes County 60 
M inn esota : Renville County 70 
Per cent 
-it. 
P-:r cent. 
Pa cent 
Per cent. 
20 
10 
96 
1 
2 
12 
93 
2 
3 
20 
96 

20 
20 
1 ."' 

23 
7 
So 
15 
Per cent. 
THE LANDLORD'S OPINION AS TO THE LONG LEASE. 
Landlords were seldom questioned in any of the areas visited, but 
some expressions were obtained from them as to the proper lease 
period. The following quotation from a letter of one of the owners 
of a number of rented farms in Xorth Dakota shows the general 
attitude of the landlord toward the lease period: 
It is our custom to make annual leases only and in this we differ frcni many authori- 
ties who think it better to lease for a term of years. Our rule is "Give the old tenant 
the first chance at the farm if his work has been good." Under this plan the tenant 
knows he can remain on the farm if his record is good, and it is up to him to do his 
work so that he will not be displaced. 
We aim to keep the buildings in good condition of repair. This is a simple matter, 
but one which seems to keep the feminine end of the family in a contented frame of 
mind. We try to provide facilities for live stock, poultry, garden, etc., in which 
we are not directly interested but which help the tenant in a financial way. 
PROSPECTIVE OWNERSHIP BY TENANTS. 
In each of the localities visited there were many tenants who 
owned some land. In most cases this land was situated in sections 
where the price of land was lower than where the tenant was located. 
As seen from Table VII. tenants who had bought in their present 
localities purchased in an average time of from 5.5 years, in Minne- 
sota, to 9.9 years, in Nebraska, after they had started renting. 
