Halsey

The plaintiffs herein appeal from a judgment rendered on the defendants’ cross-complaint by which the court decreed specific performance of a lease.

The plaintiffs, George W. Halsey and Frances L. Halsey (husband and wife) and Joseph Halsey, who are the owners of farm land in Kern County brought this action to compel restitution of the property which was held by M. R. Robinson and his wife under a purported lease. The plaintiffs also sought to recover rents, profits and damages which allegedly had accrued during the withholding period. The defendants answered and cross-complained, asserting they possessed a leasehold interest in the land, also claiming they were holding under an agreement for a renewal lease and asking for a decree of specific performance of such lease. The findings made by the trial court in favor of the defendants and cross- *478 complainants were based on the following factual situation as revealed by the evidence:

The defendants had held the land here involved since 1936 under successive leases from the plaintiffs, who resided in Los Angeles. At the time this litigation arose the defendants were in possession of the farm under a lease for the year 1940,…