The Monmouth inquirer., 1923-01-25
DAIRY PROBLEMS
ON RENTED FARM
Government Bulletin Takes Up
Details Entered Into by
Owners and Tenants.
MANY IMPORTANT QUESTIONS
Much Depends Upon Interest Land
lord Takes in Development of Herd
and Disposal That Is Made
of Various Products.

Vi v ailpLS TIO6hNhos
prepared by the United States Department
of Agriculture.)
Renters and landlords in localities
where the dairy BUSINESSES now com
ing into prominence, as we'll as many
Of those in the older dairy regions, will
find many useful suggestions in a new
Farmers Bulletin, No. 1872, Renting
Dairy Farms, by Howard A. Turner,
just issued by the United States De
partment Of Agriculture. 1t takes up
in detail the arrangements that are
commonly entered into by dairy farm
owners and tenants in some of the
older dairy sections of New York, New
Jersey, Michigan, Illinois, and Wis
consin
Since the contract is a simple one
when the farm is rented for cash, this
method requires little attention, and
most Of the discussion is given over to
the renting of dairy farms on which
the landlord gets half share of the re-
ceipts Most farms Of this class are
rented on some sort of share basis,
but there is a great deal of variation,
depending upon the financial situation
Of the renter, the condition of the land,
the interest the landlord takes in
the development of the herd, the dis
posal that is made of the milk and
other dairy products.
Many Problems Brought Out.
The renting of farms on which
dairying is an important enterprise,
says the author, brings out problems
that are hardly known where only such
crops as corn, tobacco. cotton, and
small grains are grown. Buildings
and fences become important consid-
erations, and also the division of land
between pasture and feed crops. Cues
tions arise concerning the size, duality
and ownership of the herd. The very ma
ture Of the business makes it neces-
sary that the landlord take an inter-
est in live stock and the crops and
conditions necessary to make it profit
able. The practices in the old dairy
districts that have been developed af-
ter years of trial should be of assist
ance not only to men newly become
landlords and tenants in these dis
tricts, but to those engaged in the
same business in other districts. Vex-
ing problems may be cleared up by
consulting this boiled-down experience,
which includes such things as the OWL
ership of the cattle, the furnishing of
man labor, supervision and assistance
- 49, lo,, III, ,,~d ,,,o oh;not.v and toolS
work animals, the division of receipts
from swine and poultry, the rental of
pasture, and the keeping of accounts.
Another interesting feature of the
bulletin is the part dealing with the
practices that have been worked out
to satisfactorily handle the situation
when the tenant leaves the farm-the
division of Jointly owned live stock,
payment for feed left on the farm,
and for winter grain, fall blowing. ma
nure hauling, and Improvements made
by tenants. There are also discus
sfons of the length of notice given Of
intention to terminate the lease, the
length of the lease period, and the ar
rangements that have been found
workable when farms are rented on
crop shares to tenants having a few
COWS and getting all of the income
from them.
Renting for Cash.
II was found that most good dairy
farms are rented on some sort of share
basis and that it is usually the smaller
and poorer farms that are rented for
cash, but there are some owners. often
those living at distance from their
land or those knowing little about
farming, who find the cash arrange
ment the best, even though the farms
may be good enough to attract the best
tenants. However the condition OF
the buildings and fences on many
cash-rented farms and the difficulty of
arranging for betterments handi-
cap the dairyman on such places. Some
land owners who rent for cash en-
courage better tenants and better
farming by leasing herd Of cows
with the land, but there are very few
who follow this practice.
A copy of the bulletin may be had