Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1878-07-17

FARM LINES.-l1oW many OF our read
ers, owning farms outside of the districts
surveyed by the government. have des-
criptive maps or plots of them by which
the boundary lines could be re- established
if they should from any cause, be destroy
edp 1t would seem that matter so i'm
portant would not be so ofen overlooked
when the expense of surveying and plot
ting is so comparatively small.
1t does not require the highest degree
Of engineering skill to measure the courses
and distances of farm bounds. ANY boy,
or girl either, of ordinary intelligence,
can learn enough of surveying in three
months, by giving to its study one hour
each day, TO do it correctly. No further
knowledge of mathematics is necessary
than is taught in any district school.
With this and an elementary work on
surveying, no teacher is necessary, al
though rs in the case of any other study,
competent instructor is of great assist
ance.
OF course there will be exceptional
cases where the tyro would meet with oh,
stacles to overcome which further knowl-
edge of trigonometry and geometry
would be necessary, but such will not
often occur. An endless number of law
suits and their attendant expenses have
grown out of misunderstanding relative
to the proper location of division fences,
to say nothing of the family feuds thereby
engendered. which have in some cases
outlnsted several generations, all of which
could easily have been avoided. No deed
for land should be accepted that does not
contain definite description of the prem
ises purchased. TO say it adjons Smiths
land ON the north and that of Jones on the
east is not sufficient. The limits should
be accurately set down by " metes and
bounds" the length of each line and the
bearing of each course concSely given.
The point of departure, or starting place,
should have permanent monument, and
| it is well, but not necessary, to place such
at some or all of the angles.
To-day small tree, so small as TO be of
no value, may be growing on or near II
division line of two farms. Fifty years
from now that tree alone may be worth
as much as an acre of land The fence
has decayed and been reset; if one pro-
prietor chances to be nonresident, and
the Other INSCRIPTIONS, it would not be
very strange if the fence should be one
side of the tree, when by virtue of right it
should be on the other. How, without def
mite record Of his bounds, can the rightfu
owner prove his claim? Cases similar to
this ARE often occurring.
There seems to be prevalent in the com
munity al idea, that if one occupies land
and claims it as his for u certain term OF
years, without moestation, he becomes
the legal owner of the same, or in other
words, if he Can steal his neighbours land
and not be found out until after twenty
years, the land becomes legally his. But
this is a mistake. The possession and
occupation for any number of years do
not give title, unless they be accompanied
by claim in some recorded instrument
as deed, order of court, or the like. and
not then if the title be in minor children
insane or imbecle persons.
No honest man has any inclination to
take that which does not belong to him,
and no rogue should be allowed to do it.
To guard against this, have your farm
lines surveyed, giving the adjoining own
ers notice of your intention TO do so, thai
An agreement be made that the lines shall
be and remain AS run, and have this
agreement noted by the surveyor on his
minute and signed by the parties in inter-
est.-Ihe Rural NeU Yorker.