estates. A portion or tract of land, some of which is cultivated. In parlance, and for the purpose of description in a deed, a farm means: a message with out buildings, gardens, orchard, yard, and land usually occupied with the same for agricultural purposes; but in the English law, and particularly in a description in a declaration in ejectment, it denotes a leasehold interest for years in any real property, and means anything which is held by a person who stands in the relation of tenant to a landlord. 2. By the conveyance of a farm, will pass a message, arable land, meadow, pasture, wood, belonging to or used with it. 3. In a will, the word farm may pass a freehold, if it appear that such was the intention of the testator.
Law Dictionary – Alternative Legal Definition
n. A certain amount of provision reserved as the rent of a messuage. Spelman. Rent generally which is reserved on a lease; when it was to be paid in money, it was called “blanche firme.” Spelman; 2 Bl. Comm. 42. A term, a lease of lands; a leasehold interest. 2 Bl. Comm. 17; 1 Reeve, Eng. Law, 301, note. The land itself, let to farm or rent. 2 Bl. Comm. 368. A portion of land used for agricultural purposes, either wholly or in part. The original meaning of the word was “rent” and by a natural transition it came to mean the land out of which the rent issued.
In old English law. A lease of other things than land, as of imposts. There were several of these, such as “the sugar farm,” “the silk farm,” and farms of wines and currents, called “petty farms.” See 2 How. State Tr. 1197-1206.
In American law. “Farm” denotes a tract of land devoted in part, at least, to cultivation, for agricultural purposes, without reference to its extent, or to the tenure by which it is held.
(verb) – To lease or let; to demise or grant for a limited term and at a stated rental. Farm lot. Operative words in a lease, which strictly mean to let upon payment of a certain rent in farm; i.e., in agricultural produce. Farm out. To let for a term at a stated rental. Among the Romans the collection of revenue was farmed out, and in England taxes and tolls sometimes are.