Practical Surveyor (Paperback)

by Samuel Wyld (Author), David Manthey (Contributor) "Showing how to make a Plott of a Piece of Land by the Plain Table, and caft up the Contents thereof..." (more)
Key Phrases: protracting pin, fame manner, middle thereof, Station Line, Field Book, Piece of Land (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
Manthey's mathematical analysis of Wyld's survey computations is excellent. His explanation of Wyld's terminology is also very good. -- Professional Surveyor Magazine

Product Description
"In this small tract you'll find the whole Art of Surveying Land epitomized. The rules and methods here laid down in a plain and familiar manner, such as are fittest for a Practioner's use, without an unecessary mixture of useless curiosities and needless repitition. And although brevity be chiefly intended, yet nothing is here omitted, but what might be well enough be spared in a treatise that immediately relates to the Practice."

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Product Details

• Paperback: 244 pages
• Publisher: Invisible College Press (December 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1931468060
• ISBN-13: 978-1931468060
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #224,415 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A historical and useful manual on surveying, February 8, 2002

By	David Manthey (Troy, NY) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

In reading historical surveying works, the Practical Surveyor stands out as an useful guide and not a theoretical textbook. Although there is a slight amount of geometry in the beginning of the book, the bulk of the work relies
on basic math, without even the use of sines and cosines. Likewise, although a variety of surveying instruments are detailed, there are complete instructions for surveying with a chain only (which would work equally well with a measuring tape).

Modern electronic instruments have largely replaced old tools, and modern computers allow vastly more measurements to be used for improved precision and accuracy. While The Practical Surveyor won't supercede hiring a professional land surveyor, it is sufficient to teach a novice to confidently survey any plot of land.

The techniques for measuring with plane table, theodolite, or cirumferentor (staff compass) are as valid today as they were in 1725. Once measurements have been made, there are clear directions for drawing a map and calculating areas and other properties. An example is provided of a survey of a small farm, complete with field notes, a field book with all of the measurements, and a finished map.

Additional sections detail determining the difference in altitude between two locations, finding true north using either the sun or Polaris, coloring maps using watercolors with details on the specific pigment materials, surveying rivers and large towns, dividing land, and drawing perspective pictures with the aid of a theodolite. Mr. Wyld prefaces the work with a lively introduction.

The text is identical to the 1725 first edition. It has been re-typeset for clarity using the original font, spelling, and punctuation. The long s (which looks like an 'f' to modern readers) is used as per the original. The book includes reproductions of the original figures from six copperplates, all of the original advertisements, and all of the original woodcut illustrations.

I have written brief notes to accompany the text. These are all at the back of the volume so as not to interfere with the original work. The notes include a few corrections to some errors in the book, a list of all of the tools and instruments used, and a glossary of words. I hope that these are of use.

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wyld-, February 7, 2002

By A Customer

A great book! It's just what it calls itself: A practical guide. It skips the hard math and teaches you to use the instruments (which really haven't changed, except for computerized models) and draw maps. This isn't only quick-and-dirty surveying. You will learn to compensate for the curvature of the earth, find your position by the stars, convey water, draw objects in perspective...

Also gives historical insight into how and why land was used and subdivided, and rules of thumb that still affect modern land (why are roads and ditches the width they are? How are property boundaries placed, or re-discovered?)

If you want to learn to survey or are interested in historic land use, map-making or surveying, you need this book.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Ye Olde Survey Book, November 12, 2006

By	T. H. Walker "YelloLabLover" (Northern California) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

As a civil engineer, I found the book quite interesting. However, the author's continual use of old English grammer, spellings, and capitalizations made for slow reading. After about three pages, I was looking forward to the next chapter, which I hoped would be in at least 20th century English. Alas, the entire book was in ye olde English. Too bad, because the information is both enlightening and fascinating.