22 NEW HAMPSHIRE EXPERIMENT STATION [Bulletin 255 



the survey, then, either in the office or in the field work, 16 acres of 

 land were completed. At ten dollars a day for the surveyor's wages, 

 the cost per acre would be slightly under 7c. For this town of 15,324 

 acres the cost at this rate would be $1,063.50. In addition, photo- 

 graphing the topographic sheet for use as the base map cost $26.50, 

 which would make the total cost $1090. 



The map of Durham was made by as accurate a method as pacing 

 with a hand compass would allow. With this as a standard, a much 

 simpler method was tried out on a sample square mile and tested for 

 accuracy, cost and practicability. 



This other plan was the true strip method. Strips were run north 

 and south an eighth of a mile apart until one square mile Avas com- 

 pleted. All crossings of type lines, fences, etc., were recorded and as 

 much of the land on either side as could be seen. After the strips were 

 run, any lines not completed were drawn in where it seemed most likely 

 that they would go. From a comparison of the same section, mapped 

 in the different ways, it seemed that if accuracy in detail is an object of 

 the survey the strip metliod will not give it, but it will give a fairly 

 accurate general map. By running tie strips across the main strips and 

 extra lines where details are hazy the accuracy could be increased, but 

 then it approaches the original method. 



The cost of this strip method is a big argument in its favor. The 

 sample square mile was mapped at the rate of 35 acres per hour as 

 compared to 16 for the first method. In a larger survey, 35 acres 

 could not be done in an hour, as obvious errors would be found which 

 would have to be checked. Also, another survey would not take as 

 much time as this one in the first method were used, because of experi- 

 ence gained. The strip method was tested after the surveyor had 

 already become familiar with the country. 



If a general map, approximate data, and the omission of some details 

 will serve, and cheapness is an important factor, the strip system will 

 be acceptable. If, on the other hand, any use is to be made of indi; 

 vidual lots which would require the map to be fairly accurate, such as 

 filling in property lines or acreage figures for special areas, and the 

 map is to be of permanent value, it is worth while to spend more and 

 use a more accurate method. A combination of the two might be best 

 in some cases, but a compromise gives neither accuracy nor cheapness, 

 and it is difficult to do any more than a strip method without mapping 

 the details, which amounts to the first plan. 



The estimate in either case would be equally accurate. 



As to the base map, the photographic enlargement is expensive, but 

 accurate, while raising the scale by hand takes time and is a little less 

 accurate. An accurate base map is advisable even for an approxi- 

 mately accurate finished map, and the rougher the method of filling in 

 details the more necessary it is to have accurately located points to tie 

 to, which is the purpose of a base map. 



On the whole, it seems worth while to go to the extra expense to have 

 a dependable map, useful for all ordinary work, rather than one val- 

 uable only for general reference. In many cases the main reason for 

 making a map will probably be the location of property lines. If this 



