to4 ENGINEERING ON THE FARM 



This description applies to only one tract in the rectangular 

 system and means 20 acres on east side of the northeast 

 quarter (or 40) of the northeast quarter section (or 160) of 

 Section 24, in Township 13 North, of range 21 East, of the 

 fifth principal meridian. In deeds and other important legal 

 descriptions the description should be completely written 

 out and the above abbreviations should be placed in brack- 

 ets. While the written description is not necessary, it 

 prevents error and should be used where accuracy is required. 

 The names of the county and state, while not necessary, 

 should always be given. 



SUMMARY 



There are two classes of land surveys, original and resur- 

 veys; also two methods of making original surveys, metes 

 and bounds and the rectangular system. 



The rectangular system has been used in the United 

 States since 1785. It provides for laying lands out in square 

 tracts, and, as the surface of the earth is that of a sphere, 

 many of the errors in land surveys are caused by the attempt 

 to fit a rectangular system to a curved surface. Regulations 

 governing the rectangular system were frequently changed 

 from 1785 to 1881. Since 1881 errors due to curvature are 

 confined and corrected within tracts of land approximately 

 24 miles square. The actual acreage in legal subdivisions 

 of land varies from the theoretic acreage because of errors 

 in field work. 



Corners set by a United States deputy surveyor and 

 approved by the Land Office must be considered as correct, 

 even though it can be shown that errors were made in the 

 original survey. 



A resurvey is for the purpose of locating the original cor- 

 ners and lines. In a resurvey the surveyor cannot change 

 the location of an original corner. 



Disputes as to land lines carried to the courts are decided 

 entirely on the proof offered. Surveys are not considered 



