McCown v. Mayer
McCown v. Mayer
Opinion of the Court
delivered the opinion of the Court.
The single question presented by this appeal is whether the owner of the soil may make a sale valid and enforceable at law of a crop to be thereafter planted on. his land.
We consider the point as settled in the affirmative by the case of Everman v. Robb, 52 Miss., 653.
Everman & Co’, interposed a claimant’s issue instead of bringing the statutory action of replevin, but the cause was tried without objection having been made on account of the irregularity. The court, while criticising the form of procedure, dealt with the case as an action of replevin, and declared what were the legal rights of the parties.
The judge by whom the opinion was written broadened the field of discussion, and entered somewhat into the history of equitable liens which courts of law could not enforce. But the point for decision was whether an unplanted crop had a “ potential existence,” making it the subject of a valid sale by the owner of the soil, and the court on this point said: “ These tenants were purchasers of the land for the term of five years, to be used for agricultural purposes ; as security for the price to be paid they pledged the crop. The thing hypothecated was to spring out of the soil; it was directly connected with the land which the tenants owned for the term; the crops were contingencies depending on present existing property or interest in the lessees, and therefore the subjeet of sale or assignment. Story on Sales, Sec. 186.” “ Whilst a person cannot make a present sale of all the wool that may be grown on sheep which he may thereafter buy, nor of any other thing in which his interest is wholly prospective and doubtful, there may be a valid sale of the wine a vineyard is expected to produce, or the grain a field is expected to grow, the milk of a cow for the next year, or the future young of animals. Story on Sales, Sec. 185.”
It is therefore settled by that case: 1. That one may make a present sale or mortgage of things having a “ potential existence,” as the books designate it, and 2. That an unplanted crop
The judgment is reversed and judgment here on the agreed facts for the appellant.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- J. T. McCown v. D. Mayer
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- 1 case
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- Syllabus
- Crop. Sale or mortgage of when unplanted. The owner of land may (by the common law) mortgage or sell a crop to be afterwards planted thereon. Everman v. JRobb, 52 Miss., 653, cited.