VOL. LVIII.
INDIANAPOLIS, SEPT. 19, 1903.
NO. 38
^sperimcc glcpavtmcnt.
FORM OF CONTRACT FOR RENTING A FARM.
Make the Contract Specific.
lst Premium.—The following is a good
fairm of contract:
Indianapolis, lud., Sept. 1, 1903.
This indenture witnesseth: That John
Jaaiies this day leases to John Smith, both
of Washington township, Marion county,
State of Indiana, the following real estate, to-wit: The west half of the southwest quarter of Section twenty-four,
township seventeen North, Range three
East, containing eighty acres more or less,
situated in Pike Township, Marion Coiunty,
State of Indiana, with all the buildings
and appurtenances belonging thereto, sai.l
John Smith to have and hold full possession of the same ftir the term of three
years from the first day of March, 1904,
and said John Smith shall further have
the right and privilege to enter said premises during the fall of 1903, for the purpose of preparing the land and sowing
wheat. Said premises to be used only
for farm aud garden purposes. Said
John Smith agrees to handle and aultivate
said premises after the manner of good
husbandry, an.l return the same to its
owner in as good condition as when he
received it, excepting the natural wear
and unavoidable accidents, sueh as tornadoes and fire, and in sueh ease the said
Jones shall make the repairs and be held
to said Smith for damages iti* case he does
not   speedily   make   said   repairs. And
Jones further agrees to put the buildings
and fences in good reasonable repair before the first of March, 1904, and said
Smith is to keep said premises in repair
during his lease, except ns above named.
Said Smith further agrees to sow all land
to clover that is sown to wheat. Said
Smith is to bave enough of tbe dead timber on said premises for fire-wood for
cooking and heating purposes of said
premises. Said Smith further agrees to
cut all noxious weeds, briers and alders
in due season, and to haul upon the cultivated land all manure made on said premises during his lease. In consideration
<af the use of said premises, said John
Smith agrees to pay the said John Jones
the sum of   dollars per year .one-
third to be paid October the first of each
year, and two-thirds the first of February
each year. (Or, if grain rent is to be
paid, say that said Jones is to receive one-
half of all products raised on said premises at premises, as they mature, in condition ready for market; to be received by
said Jones on the premises in stack, mow
or bin as said Jones may provide.) Said
Jones further agrees to furnish all new
material on the premises for the repair
of buildings, fences, etc., and said Smith
agrees to repair the same, except as atxvve
named. Saial Jones reserves the right
to enter upon said premises to make improvements for its betterment, snbja-.t tai
all     damage   done   said     Smith. Saial
Smith may be ejected from saial premises at
the close of any year, on failure to comply
with the terms of this lease, nnd shall deliver the same to the owner, at the expiration of this lease, without further notice.
The above lease shouhl l>e signed in
duplicate by both parties, and properly
witnea
I think the better mode of leasing a
farm, for both owner and tenant, is the
following:
Inalianapolis, Ind., Sept. 1, 1903.
An article of Agreement made and entered into this day by and between John
Jones, party of the first part and John
Smith, party of the second part. The
party of the first part leases his farm,
situated in Warren Township, Marion
County, Indiana, described as follows, to-
wit: The northeast quarter of Section
12, Towuship Ha North, Hange 4 East, iu
county and State above named, to the
party of the swond part for the term aaf
live ya-ars, from the tirst of March, 1901.
Saial Jones is to furnish the said farm and
one-half of tha live stock and one-half
of all tools, harness, machinery, and whatsoever is needed to run a well regulated
farm in good farm order, and the saial
Smith is to furnish the other half of said
t.a.als, machinery, stock, etc. Each party
shall bear half of the ra-pairs and replenishing of said tools and stock, and all live
stock  purchased  for  breeding  or  feealing
you would better specify what grain Is
to be sown or planted in each field. I
w.auld say to the Iundloral, Bnd a good
renter anal hold to him; and to the renter,
find  a good  landhard  nnal  stay  with  him.
It is better for landlord and tenant, for
the tenant to be able to plan for future
crops. The landlord should mat expect
the renter to tuke a rundown farm anal
bring it up to a good state of cultivation
at his own expense uml the tenant shaanhl
endenvor to keep the farm in as gaaa„|
condition as he received it, so that the
passer-by will not say, "that looks like a
rented farm."      Be mutual, be just.
Marion Co. I. N. C.
Short Form of Contract
2d  Premium.—Laws on  contracts   anal
leases vary iu different States.      An oral
Old Bobby  Neely's  Mill, in Waahingtoa   Caaunty,   Inaliana.
purposes shall be paid for by the above
parties, half and half, and shall be joint
anal equal Stock. Said John Smith agrees
to cultivate, harvest and garner the products of said farm, and to breed ,rnl«e and
fatten such live stock as will be the mo.-c
advantageous to both of the contracting
parties, and to feed or haul to market all
the products of the farm, and the proceeds
are to be divided equally between the said
John Jones and John Smith, and the whole
arangenient and management of the
farm shall be mutual between
the contracting parties. Saial
Smith is to have firewood for family use
from dead and decaying timber. All
tools, machinery, live stock, or other property of the partnership, shall lie divided
equally between the said John Jones anal
John Smith at the termination of this
lease.
(Signed.) John Jones.
John  Smith.
The above partias pa-rsoually npponred
before me ami sigiuil this lease.
[Seal.] James Taylor,
Notary Public.
There nre a few things to be remembered in regaral to contracts. Contracts
of over three years duration must be signal before a Notary Public and recorded.
You should lie specific in your contract, for
you cannot give oral evidence against a
written contract in court.
If you rent a farm for a single year,
aontract in some States is good for three
years, in others for oue year or less.
The following is an ordinary contract:
A Lease made aud executed between
John Brown, of the city of Indiauapolis,
of the first part, and John Jones, of the
U»wn of Poseyville, County of Posey, State
pf Indiana, of the second part, this first
day of June, 1903.
In consideration of rents and covenants
hereafter expressed, the said party of the
first part has demised and leased to the
party of the seco-d part the Allowing
real estate ,to-wit: Eighty acres in Town
4, range 12, Section 32, in Hobb Township, County of Posey, State of Indiana,
with the privileges and appurtences, for
and during the term of two yenrs from the
lst day of August, 1903, to the lst day
of August, 1905, and the said party of
second part covenants that he will pay
to the party of lst part one-half .af all
grain raised ou said farm, and one-third
of all hay, and $5 per acre per year for
all pasture land. All rents to be delivered to nearest market by party of sea nml
part, at nny time specified by party of the
first part. Party of the first part agrees
to pay all taxes assessed on snid premises.
nnd keep all fences and buildings in good
repair, and reserves the right of free access to saial farm at any and all times.
Party of second part shall have all fruit
necessary for family oae. Party of
second part covenants that at the expira
tion of said term he will surrender said
premise* to the party of the first part In
as good condition ns now received, wear
and   unavoidable   damages   excepted.
Witness our hands nnd seal this, lst day
of  June,   1903.
JohnBrown,
lst part, [Seal].
John Jones,
2d part,  [Seal.]
Witness -Wm. .laihnsaan, Ceo. Smith.
Posey Co. J. J. S.
Caah Rent is Ihe  Best Plan.
3d Premium.—After dealing with all
sorts of men and working in all kinds of
s.ail, with ull possible results, I have come
t.a the conclusion that the best way to
ia nt a farm is for cash. By this I do
uot meau oue shouhl pay so much per
aa ra*. and let the landlord be continually
driving out for some fruit, etc., but let
there be a written contract, anal in that
contract let there be stated the amount the
tenant shall pay per acre, and let it state
what is expected of the tenant toward
building fences, gates, buildings, etc.
Bach alay that is put iu on the farm should
anted in on the rent. The owner
4f tha* farm should agree to furnish nails,
wire, hinges, lumber, wall paper, paint and
anything elsa- that would go towards bettering his farm anal the convenience of
his tenants.
The tenant must use his own judgment
as to the amount he can pay au.l still be
able to "lay up a little on the shelf."
The landlord should not be unreasonable
in his demands. If he is getting cash
rent he should not expect a share of the
fruit, fowls and vegetables. A man who
"gobbles up" half the produce raised by
his cash paying tenant is like the wealthy
lady I know of who ..ept out five cents of
ber poor tenant's money because she show-
ed her how to make a calico dress. The
man who charged 30 cents a head for
goose pasture, an 1 five cents for water
drunk by a stranger's horse, surely cannot
receive a very great reward, although he
has his bank account now.
We pay four dollars per acre for one
hundred and twenty acres, and hold the
right to till the soil as we choose anal
raise what stock we want. Every day's
work put in on the place goes toward the
rent Onr  landlord's   only   concern   is
keeping the place in repair and receiving
his rent nt the end of the year.
Where the land is capable of producing
at all,  I  would  advise cash  rent as  tbe
bast,  both  for tenant and owner.
Boone Co. C. C. C.
Premiums of $1, 75 cents and 50 cents
are given for the first, second and third
best articles for the Experience Department each week. Manuscript should be
s.'tit direct to the Indiana Farmer Company and should reach us one week before date of publication.
Topics for discussion in future num-
Ikts  of the  Farmer are as follows:
No. 394, Sept. 26.—What kind of live
stock is the surest profit producer on the
farm,  and  why?
N. 395, Oct. 3.—Give experience in dairying for profit. What is the best way to
dispose of dairy  products?
No. 390, Oct. 10-Tell how to organize
and conduct a farmers' telephone company, nnd give an estimate ofl the expenses.
Fish Inspector Berndt, of Honolulu, H.
T., is making a collection of fish from
Hawaiiu waters that will prove an inter-
a-sting exhibit at the World's Fair.