GROWING SUGAR BEETS IN THE BILLINGS REGION. 33 
TABLE XI.—Apportionment of interest, taxes, and charges for irrigation water 
for growing sugar beets on rented lands and owned farms in the Billings 
region. 
Cost for land. 
Number | Acres of 
Classification of farms. offarms.| beets. 
Total. | Peracre.} Per ton. 
PNTUIS EY ei aS) Ss eee EST eh ir ees Ne a eee 305 8, 849 | $104, 931 $11.85 $1.10 
Beet lands: 
Gash=remtediescn sas sss ees ek ead See eR mca aun Oa ees 1,620 15, 226 9.25 .85 
SIMapesnen be deen ye wep Map em ete erate 8 alll yu eo Ue, 3, 801 49,071 12.91 1. 28 
Onc UON SR A ries ANP UER IP CIGIRE Shearer 3,428 | 41,098 | 11.99 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 
