When things belonging to different owners have been united so as to form a single thing and cannot be separated without injury, the whole belongs to the owner of the thing which forms the principal part, who must, however, reimburse the value of the residue to the other owner or surrender the whole to him.

Source: CivC 1877, § 590; CL 1887, § 3213; RCivC 1903, § 906; RC 1919, § 508; SDC 1939, § 51.1201.