The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1909-04-16
FARM LEASING SYSTEM
TN NEW YORK STATE

the fat is their paramount object. !
They do not seek permanence be- |
cause they are nomadic in their hab-
its, and the terms OF most leases
make 1t impossible for them to real
lie any of the larger rewards which
a sound tenant system guarantees the
right kind of men.
On the Wadsworth estate there is
every incentive to permanence of ten
antry. Although the leases are re-
newed every spring, the man who
makes the most of his opportunities
and measures up to the reasonable
requirements imposed by the land
lord is anxious to hold his farm, and
the owner is equally anxious to have
him stay. Men with families desire
home where they can make money
and educate their children. The
Wadsworth lease has succeeded be-
cause it offers such home to a ten
ant. What Is best for the tenant is
best for the landlord. This is the
principle which underlies the basic
provisions of the Wadsworth lease.
Many of the tenants become so at
tached to their places that even al
though they could purchase farms
outright they prefer to remain as ten
ants. No higher compliment could
be paid the system under which they
work.
With each lease there Is filed a
map Of the farm showing its boun-
daries, the number and size of its
fields and the location of the build
ings. Each field is numbered. So
thoroughly systematized is the cleri-
cal work which the farms require
that the performance record of each
field can be quickly ascertained for
any year. The landlord dictates the
rotation of crops. Wheat and beans
are the principal crops. All rent is
cash except in the case of wheat, the
landlord receiving four to seven
bushels per acre as his share, the ten
ant furnishing the seed and doing all
the work The average yield Of
wheat is about twenty-five bushels
per acre. Knowing what the differ
ent fields have been producing, it has
been found fair and practicable to
make certain exactions of each field.
In the same way the amount of cash
rent demanded is determined. With
minute and many-year record of
| the performances of each field the
landlord can figure out cash rental
that will be fair to the tenant and to
himself. The land is expected to pay
about four and half per cent. on a
valuation of $40 to $50 per acre.
Mixed farming is practiced. Live
stock is maintained on each farm.
Oats, barley, beans, corn, clover and
timothy figure in the rotation, which
covers five years. No hay or straw is
sold off the farm; it is fed to stock.
All manure is applied, usually to pas
lures. Weeds, especially Canada
thistles, must be cut; fence corners
must be kept clean; all buildings
must be kept in repair except where
new roofs or foundations are needed.
In such case the landlord supplies new
ones. If wheat is pastured after har-
vest or during the winter with other
stock than hogs fifty cents per acre is
paid as rent. Straw is to be stacked.
Stock is not allowed to run on clover
between December 1 and May 1. Tim
I Der used as fuel is to be paid for.
Fences and gates are to be kept in
proper repair. Gardens and orchards
are to be intelligently managed and
properly fenced. Lessees agree to
SOW timothy and clover seed during
specified period, and to SOW 100
pounds of land plaster on each acre
Of upland pasture.
BY way of illustration, what is
termed bill of rent" may be sum-
married. Each lessee has a surety;
that is, he must have on his lease the
signature of responsible person who
stands as his hacker. Both are re-
sponsible to the lessor. A bill of rent
is at hand which covers the FORBES
farm John Smith is the lessee.
M. M. Campbell is his surety. The
farm consists of 236 acres. AS rent
the landlord is to receive $3.50 in
cash and 300 bushels Of wheat. Fifty
acres is seeded to wheat and six bush