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Land Ordinances, 1567, 1695 
The Solar. 
A building site upon which to build a house should measure fifty Cas¬ 
tilian yards on one of its four sides. 
The Venta. 
A venta is a plot of land fifty yards long and the same in width. 
The Molino. 
A molino [mill-site] is also fifty yards long and the same width. 
The Batán. 
A batán 12 is also fifty yards long and as many wide. 
The Cuadra Menor. 
The cuadra menor is 138 yards long and six wide. 
The Cuadra Mayor. 
The cuadra mayor has a length of 276 yards, and a width of 138. 
The League. 
A league is composed of three thousand of Solomon’s paces, which 
make five thousand Castilian yards or three miles, which compose a league. 
Method of Measuring the Sitios. 
First, 2,500 yards are to be measured along the east side toward the 
north, and another two thousand toward the south. Then, on the west 
side there are to be measured 2,500 yards toward the north, and as many 
more toward the south. Next, on the north side there are to be measured 
2,500 yards toward the east, and as many more toward the west. Next, 
on the south side there are to be measured 2,500 yards toward the west 
and as many more toward the east. These frontages are to be given to 
the sitio de ganado mayor, and the sitio de ganado menor is to be measured 
in the same fashion, giving to each one the amount of land which belongs 
to it; the same is to be done with the criadero, as has been set forth in the 
proper place, giving to each the contents which properly belong to it. 
In measuring the sitio de ganado mayor with a cordel of fifty yards 
length, fifty such lengths are to be drawn from the centre to any one of 
the four sides, thus giving the lateral bounds. On the front running east 
and west there are to be measured one hundred lengths of the cordel, 
and one hundred on the front running from north to south, each one 
hundred lengths making five thousand Castilian yards, which is the same 
as a league. By measuring this sitio in these two ways it is made square 
and has four equal corners, and any one who sets out from one of these 
four corners and walks around the four sides or edges of the sitio will 
