Whenthecultivatorhastogivetohislandlordhalfofthereturnstoeachdoseofcapitalandlaborthatheappliestotheland,,then,heisfreetocultivateashechooses,hewillcultivatefarlessintensivelythanontheEnglishplan[fixedrent]；hewillapplyonlysomuchcapitalandlaboraswillgivehimreturnsmorethantwiceenoughtorepayhimself:sothathislandlordwillgetasmallershareevenofthosereturnsthanhewouldhaveontheplanofafixedpayment.[4].[5]AndwhatisnaturalisthatMarshallwasreluctanttoletthetenant'sresidualearningremainunexplained:

Ifthetenanthasnofixityoftenure,thelandlordcandeliberatelyandfreelyarrangetheamountofcapitalandlaborsuppliedbythetenantandtheamountofcapitalsuppliedbyhimselftosuittheexigenciesofeachspecialcase.[6]

Marshall'sviewwasthatthemetayertenant"haspracticalfixityoftenure,"[7]andhereferredtoanarticlebyHenryHiggs.[8]Higgsnotedthattherentalsharesdodiffer,andthat"rigidasmetayermayatfirstsightseemtobe,itissusceptibleofconsiderableelasticity."[9]Henonethelesssharedthe"custom",whichunfortunatelyinvolvedasampleofonlyasinglefarm.[10]Itisthenotionof"fixityoftenure,"perhaps,thatledMarshalltomentionthepossibilityofadjustmentsonlyinafootnote:

Ifthelandlordcontrolstheamount[ofcapital]freelyandinhisowninterest,andcanbargainwithhistenantastotheamountoflaborheapplies,itcanbeprovedgeometricallythathewillsoadjustitastoforcethetenanttocultivatethelandjustasintensivelyashewouldundertheEnglishtenure[fixedrent]；andhissharewillthenbethesameasunderit.[11]