Evening journal., 1921-04-13
DISCOVERIES
IN AGRICULTURE
Novel Plan For Agreement
Between Landlord and
Tenant
GIVEN FIFTEEN
YEARS TRIAL

Il took the same interest in my
work as a tenant as l take on my
own farm. / began work without a
dollar and with very little knowl-
edge OF farming, but while l was on
the farm I learned a good deal.
had ample opportunity TO study the
principles controlling crop growth.
b soil Improvement. stock manage
ment, etc. The inspiration re-
ceived was valuable indeed and dur
ing my period Of service I earned
enough money 10 buy the small
farm on which I now live"
This extract from statement
made by a former farm tenant EN-
b ploye, now a farm owner. reviews
a relationship between owner and
tenant that a great many persons on
both sides of the farm-landlord sit
uation may well envy. There is
. possibly no subject connected with
the business Of farming which leads
to as many misunderstandings. dis
satisfaction, and mutual losses as
the management OF a farm by
nonowner. Somebody has said that
nothing short Of application Of the
golden rule would ever bring about
the owner and occupant Of a farm.
and yet, in this case. there was moth
ing oleemosynary in the arrange
ment.
The man who made the statement
quoted above was for number Of
years the manager of one Of two
ordinary sized hog farms owned by
"A man in Illinois, and the plan under
which he was engaged as farm man
ager has been followed by the owner
with almost unfailing success for
more than Is years. Briefly. the
plan was nothing more or less than
"a straight annual salary which in
cluded tenant house and the usual
garden and poultry perquisites. and
as a bonus, a share Of the net profits
Tho proft-sharing plan has served
IN stimulate the efforts OF the en-
ployee and has greatly lessened the
supervision necessary on the part of
The owner. BY the use Of the telc-
phone and occasional visits he is
able to keep in touch with the farm
problems and TO cooperate effective
ly with the manager. Since the
owner was farming himself II was
important that the management or
his other two farms take as little OF
his time as possible. Thus far the
farm managers have been selected
from the men employed on the home
farm, which serves as training
school.
The managers arc given a regular
monthly wage and a bonus consist
ing Of one-third Of the net farm in
come. In determining the net in
come per cent. interest on the
valuation OF the property is first
taken out. as due return for capital.
after which all expenses are deduct
. ed. such as for thrashine. the man
ager's wage. extra labor. machinery
repairs depreciation. and the cost of
fertilizers and seeds.
Each Of tho two managed farms
has a house for the manager. who
also can use the work horses 10 drive
for personal use. has a garden. and "A
COW or two for supplying the family
with milk and butter. Fifty chickens
are furnished. and tho family is per-
mitted 10 raise as many as possible
10 supply the needs ~ the farm table
but on December 1 all the chickens
above the original number must be
sold. and the landlord get onehalf
the receipts. The purpose Of this
limit on chickens is to enable the
manager TO have his own poultry
supply without taking undue advan-
tage OF his opportunity.
In order to calculate the amount of
money which the manager is 10 re-
ceive on this plan It is necessary 10
do a certain amount OF bookkeeping.
This is left to the owner. who keeps
set OF farm accounts and on March
! a complete inventory is taken and
yearly summary OF the farm busi-
ness Is completed. In case OF dis
ease poor crops. or a partial failure