Posted by cvengr on June 06, 2002 at 20:40:55:In Reply to: looking for land measurements posted by Vince Fontana on May 22, 2002 at 23:11:25:
In Imperial measurements, a square mile also known as a section may be measured as 8 furlongs by 8 furlongs.
1 furlong square is 660' x 660' and covers 10 acres.
ergo a section is 8 x 8 x 10ac or 640 acres.
When subdividing the section, typically the 640 ac section would be subdivided into 4 - 160 acre parcels. Subdividing these, would yield 4 - 40 acre parcels per 160 acre parcel. (This by the way is where the old cliche about,..Ma, I'm going out back to plow the back 40 originated.)
Again subdividing the 40 acres, yields 4 - 10 ac parcels at a furlong square. Or 660' x 660'
Codes generally required utilities to be provided as population densities increased to a point where social laws promoted utilitarian provision of commonly required amenities at the least possible cost, or if you will the etymology of 'utility'.
Many utilities became cost effective to provide when population densities exceeded 50 occupants per 10Ac parcel. Accordingly, circulatory traffic routes, sewage leaching fields, water main loops, and later electric power and natural gas became fairly routinely installed along the furlong grid patterns more commonly thoughof as modular city blocks.
Cadastral survey and property rights varied from state to state and influenced greatly by imigrant population and original land laws implicit form their roots. Spanish land grants, English patents, German titles, all varied a bit in actual meanings, although property rights influenced the surveys and dimensions commonly employed to describe those same property rights.
In today's culture, it's probably more convenient to associate a mile with the spacing of exit ramps on a major interstate highway and furlongs with city blocks.
As far as how much land is required to support livestock, consult with the local state's Land Conservation Office. They became well funded in the 50s to promote more efficient use of ranching and farming techniques.
An interesting metric is the equivalent water and sun metrics for different types of feed and livestock. Typically, a greater amount of water is required to produce one lb of beef than pork and more water to produce a calorie of livestock than grain or fodder, but the nutritional value of the livestock in usable caloric content far exceeds the grain.
This is one reason why settlers, would spend a good deal of time hunting game instead of gathering berries. More nutrition for each hunt ensued. Likewise, calculating a mix of land use for livestock might greatly depend upon local weather patterns, number of crops a year producable, percentage of arable land, ,mix of grass, grain, cake and water availability for livestock,..etc.
Best of luck.
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