The Delaware farmer., 1883-09-21
The Rental from Tenant Farms.


We have been giving this system of rentir
Farms, and its effects upon the agriculture
the peninsula, much consideration of late, ar
have arrived at the conclusion that no worse sy
TEN of holding lands could be devised. Itiu
povershes both the tenant and the land in a
equal ratio, and enrichcs the owner at the eN
peRse of bOth at leas, for time, when the uni
Yersal and inexorable law OF compensation
which finally adjusts all things, steps in and re
duces, or will reduce all to a common state o
poverty.
Ifit had not been for this preposterous system
lands which to-day can be bought for ten to
twenty dollars an acre, would readily be worth
from fifty TO one hundred dollars an acre. Let
Us see how it operates.
A rents farm Of fifty acres OF under this
system, agreeing to give B one-third, or one
half Of the crops he raises, in place of a fixed
rental in money He only takes it for year,
commencing in March or more frequently in jan
nary. This limits him TO crom ONLY such crops
as can be put in and gathered within the twelve
months next ensuing after his term commences.
He is therefore limilc in his cloice to four sor's
of crops, namely corn wheat, rye or oats, and
as corn is the most easily cultivated and at the
least expense he adOlis it, As there cannot be
any rotatO for such, although this is the very
foundation OF all intelligent and successful farm
ing, and so takes of rIop after crop Of corn. mn
til the lands will not pro,ue over fifteen bushels
to the acre, when lite an old Lorse 1t is turned
out to die in the shape Of two years fallow of
weeds. or a growth o. scrub pine, when il can
be bought for five dollars cr less per acre. I'm. /
der any decent system of renting he would have
it on ten or fiften V, ars lease at fixed money
rent. This would ALLOW linn to practice proper
rotation of cereals roots, and grass
Under the present system. hs pays most ex-
prbitant rent. In Great Britain, and countries on
the continent, farming laid can be had for
twenty years term at from three and bali TO
five per cent rental on the vCmation of the land
and the improyeme IS on it, Waen the term
expires, the tenant can get renewal, or If he
goes out and another tenant comes in, the in
Conner hal o pay him fjr the improved condition
Of the soil produced by The m n1re applied with.
IN the last year or two of his term it being pre-.
sumed that the effects OF literally manuIine the
soil are not all expended in one crop. but tina;
some OF it enures to the next crop in the system
pt rotation. Under this system of renting the
tenant is encouraged instead Of being discour.
aged, because in improving the soil he gets
better money return than if he neglected it. and q
be keeps up its fertility t. the end, because he
knows that the estimated value Of the manure
in the soil at the expiration of his
erm will be refunded to him.
Now this system of wing share of the pro
iuce is the most eXorbtant and monstr1us that
ian be devised. Itis the system adopted in some
AsatIc countries, IN which it hasreduced the az.
icultural population to the most wretcbed A
qualor, and poverty; witness the iellabs in re
Igy pt.
IT is always considered that five or six per cent
n the market value Of farming lands in the wav =
trent is as much as can reasonably be expsct.
from them, or that the tenant can afford to Ei
ay. This being so, the fifty acres which rents E
ON B if worth thirty dollars, an acre. would Z
lake total Of fifteen hundred dollars as the :,
alue of the land the interest on which at six
er cent would be ninety dollars, a full value g
loney rent for the land. Bat A raises fifteen ~
lndred bushels of corn from the fifty acres. or VHl
rty bushels 10 the acre and sells it for seven EN-
undred aud fifty dollars, he has to give one. 5.
rd, or two hundred and fifty dollars; one hun. ti
ed and sixty dollars more than would be a fair s
Mt for the land; Or a yearly interest of sixteen M
'llars and sixty-sx cent, per cent.on an invest.
ent OF fifteen hundred dollars. Taking the ahso.
te safety of the investment into consideration
here else, or in what else, could rich men In. kS
st their money, and get such an extravaqaot Rt
te OF interest. No wonder they invest all their E
are money in land. ~
But how can tenants ever get alorg in the Z
rld when they pay such rates of interest for
!, use of money, for that is nearly what it
ounts to- Yet these very men will cry down
roads and all such monopolies, as they cah
m, and will elect as legislators the very men ;,
ose interest it is to perpetuate such destrue- -
} wrongs, as this system of tenant Turning ma
duces. Are they so blind that their eyes can. Gov
be opened to see their own, true, personalin- -
sts and agitate this question until it is done ~
" with by legal enactment, or at least modi- der
or circumscribed in its operations!