If any person, having land employed in farming or planting, whether it be held for life or any other interest, shall die on or after the first of March, his personal representative may, in his discretion, continue such employment until the last day of December following, and all the emblements which such representative may sever before that day shall be personal assets in his hands, deducting first the taxes and levies on such land, and the cost of tools procured after the decedent's death. If he elect not to continue such employment, he shall dispose of, for the balance of the year, to the best advantage for the estate of the decedent, such land held by him for life only, and in either case such representative shall, out of the assets, pay to those entitled in reversion or remainder, a reasonable rent or hire, from the death of his decedent to the last day of December. Such rent or hire shall be chargeable, in preference to all other claims against the estate, on the profits which may arise from such land after the death of the decedent.