The complaint in all cases under the provisions of this chapter shall be upon oath, and then [there] shall be embodied therein or amended thereto an abstract of the plaintiff's title, and the defendant shall, in his answer, state whether he makes any claim of title to the lands described in the complaint, and if he makes no claim to the legal title but does claim a right to the possession of such lands, he shall state upon what grounds he claims a right to such possession.

[1891 c 115 § 2; RRS § 835.]