MEASURING LAND. 15 



And in the same manner, a field of six, seven, or eight 

 sides, may be divided into triangles by measuring lines 

 across it ; but to those unacquainted with land survey- 

 ing, it would be best to take, if a ploughed field, a num- 

 ber of ridges at a time, and find their content by some 

 of the first rules ; then take more ridges and find their 

 content also, until all the ridges are taken, and the sum- 

 ming up of the whole will be the content of the field. 



Hitherto, the fences have always been considered as 

 straight; but as it frequently happens that pieces of 

 land are bounded by curved lines or fences, it is neces- 

 sary to show how the content of such pieces can be 

 found by these tables. And to do which, first set up a 

 mark at each corner of the field ; or, if the fence or line 

 bend inward, then, as near the corner as possible, so as 

 to be able to see the mark at the other end of the said 

 fence or line, without being prevented by the curvature 

 of the same : then find the content of the piece within- 

 side of the said mark by some of the foregoing rules, 

 and for the curved part measure the distance in a straight 

 line from one mark to the other, against each of the 

 curved fences observing to set down the distance that 

 your mark stands from the said fence where you first set 

 off: and also note down the distance which the straight 

 line you are measuring is from the fence or line, at every 

 fifty yards distance in length ; but if the fence be very 

 irregular, take down the distance at every twenty or 

 thirty yards in length, and also the distance at the end 

 of the straight line ; and in finding the content of the 

 curve, set down every distance twice which was taken 

 from the fence, except the distances taken at each end, 

 which set down only once ; then add them all together, 

 and divide the sum by the number of lines added upj 

 which gives the mean width of the curve, and the straight 

 line measured against it is the length ; thus 



