42 BULLETIN 1269, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
basis for a definite understanding in the beginning and is useful later 
in case of misunderstanding. 30 
Marketing and credit as a part of the tenant contract is shown 
fully later. 
LABOR SUPERVISION 
One of the principal features of the renting agreement on the planta- 
tion is that of supervision. The extent of supervision to be exercised 
by the management is nearly always understood in advance, which, in 
cotton and tobacco sections, often amounts to the control of the 
cropper's or tenant's crop and the direction of the worker's farming 
activities by the landlord or manager. For the more efficient classes, 
supervision may consist of the landlord's advising the tenant in 
regard to agricultural methods or on other matters of mutual interest. 
Of 215 plantations studied in this respect, 68 per cent reported 
close supervision, 30 per cent reported general supervision, and 2 per 
cent reported no supervision. Close supervision was reported by 
81 per cent of 102 plantations using croppers; by 61 per cent of 86 
plantations using share renters; and by 41 per cent of 27 using cash 
and standing renters. Therefore, the cropper evidently is given 
closest supervision, with the share tenant, and standing, and cash 
renters next in the order named. 
On closely supervised plantations, a bell is rung as a signal of the 
beginning and end of the working-day. The bell is also rung at the 
time for rising in the morning. Of 144 plantations reporting, 93 
used the "bell system." In summer, the bell for beginning work in 
the morning rings about sunrise; in the winter it usually rings before 
sunrise. The worker who fails to respond promptly to the bell, 
or the one who leaves the field before the bell sounds, is questioned 
and unless a reasonable excuse is given he is usually reprimanded. 
On closely supervised plantations the landlord determines the holi- 
days, which, other than Saturday afternoons, are reported as two or 
three per year — Emancipation day (June 19), Fourth of July, and 
Christmas. On cotton plantations, tenants usually have a kind of 
holiday or vacation from regular duties in the period between the 
completion of harvest and the beginning of tne new crop year. 
Funerals on the plantation are nearly always made occasions for 
partial holidays. 
The management exercises close control over the use of work stock 
on the plantation. Of 66 plantations, 26 reported croppers as bein<* 
allowed the use of work stock for going to town or doing occasional 
work for themselves, except nights and Sundays; 9 reported occasional 
or " reasonable" use of work stock; a like number reported such 
privilege for Sundays and holidays; and 22 reported no outside use. 
Work stock advanced to renters on account are looked after to pre- 
vent abuse. Some planters permit the use of plantation work stock 
for outside purposes so long as the user keeps the work animal in good 
condition. This policy has proved beneficial, it is said, in satisfying 
the labor, and the privilege is seldom abused by the more trustworthy 
workers. 
A mule is assigned to each cropper for the year. In very few cases 
on the plantations were the mules reported as kept in a "pool" for 
'" For a theoretical consideration of the farm-lease contract, sec William Bennett Bizzell. Farm' Tenantry 
in the United States, Ch. X\ , 
