The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-04-19
many. "Tlard to get cash renters.
one man writes.
Rent From Farms.

brought cut by my correspondents,
the average cash rent on best i'm.
proved land runs from 50 to 81. The
average. should say. was between
$3.50 and s3. One man says: S.,
but hard to get. On land with poor
buildings etc, the average is given
as from si.50 10 So, generally abont
on $50 land, this represents "A re-
turn OF only 81 per cent on the
investment and ont of that the own.
er must pay taxes and certain re-
pairs. $3.50 on sec land gives a
gross return to the owners of A.
per cent do not wonder that one
of my correspondents says: las Il
rule there is not much money made
by either party, although the owner
of land will make in rise of price of
land" He instances land bought for
$40 as late as 1890 and now worth
from $50 to 1926. according to loca-
ton and improvements. That I'M
earned increment causes the single
tax advocate to raise the question :
) to whom do we owe the rise i'm land
values, to the owner or the commun-
iiy?
] asked the question rs to the aver.
age length of lease. I'm the answers
il is not quite clear whether actual
lease is meant, or merely length OF
tenure. They run something like
this: one year; from year TO
year, as long as parties are
satisfied; one year, or not over
three; two years: 3-5 years; %
years; 10 years 10 years Some in
teresting cases of long tenure are
noted. My correspondent In Pleasant
Mound calls attention to one piece
OF land rented for fourteen years To
:, The same party. another for ten. an
other for eight, another for twenty.
the latter however TO the owners
i son. From the answers received,
such cases are evidently exceptional
for Blue Earth county.
| now come to the crux OF this
problem, the question of how the
work OF the renter compares with
that of the owner. Almost every
correspondent has his answer and
comments to make. lie Ray reports
Ing better work than The owner.
This township az we have noted, is
exceptional. Pleasant Mound reports !:
Not much difference, as the rented
farms are kept in good repair be-
cause most of farms are owned by
men living in county" Well .
one correspondent says, "the owner
: always thinks there could have been
a few more bushels raised. Guess
he is right, for he will haul out a
i few more loads of mulch-a very i'm
portant point; through the sale OF
hay. owners as well as renters tend
to improyerish the land-but then,
he goes on, there are good renters
az well as poor ones" q might re
mark incidentally that in this county
only "a per cent OF the renters are
foreign barnD 1t depends altogether
: on the man." as another puts
IT. This is brought out Ntry clear.
II by my correspondent in Garden
City township. In case No. 1, which
ne specifies, 1.-The renter is as pains.
taking and thorough as any one could
possibly be in owning and working
their own land. Case No ., is az
exceptionally good man. The same
can be said of ease No. >. these are
all for longer terms-and many oil
the one year tenants do very good
J work"
: Renters Poor Farmers.
: Tie opinion of most OF the cor
: respondents is less favorable Rent
ers are about the poorest farmers;
do about, % per- cent less work thar
the owners and get yields according
~" That is from Lyra, and Lincoln
echoes the sentiment Much infe
: rior." another says. IL tenant does
not till the soil or keep the buildings
in as good shape as the landlord
himself. Rented farms are mo-
:. kept up in fertility. Buildings as {
: rule are not kept in repair and paint
ed" Even one whom have jus
5 quoted as favorable to the renter
2 says. AS most of the leases arc
! for one year, il is impossible for the
I work 10 be as thorough is ii other
wise might be. The great evil O
ofe year leases is the rapidity witt
4 which the farms are becoming in
! tested with noxious weeds, such a!
0 quackgrass, cookie burr and man,
others. To keep down 'quack' re
$ quires more time than the one yea
e renter can possibly afford TO put OF
t the land" This is important. ! hav
2 heard OF characterization clauses
e being put in the contract. II would b
3 about as effective to put clause re
:. curing the farmer to kill OFF all file
n and mosquitoes
: The Man of Ambition.
!. One of my correspondents says
r "On this question would say as
0 rule. man of any ambition some
:. how or other manages to have
5 place on his own farm" But il /
n possible today for renter, startin
l. in without capital, to acquire hi
t own land in Blue Earth county
IL Suppose he Is content with eight