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Spike in Toby Tree
Spike in Toby Tree
When I bought my property last year, the paperwork included a sketch of the property boundaries. I was immediately fascinated by the corner marked “SPIKE IN TOBY TREE”, and that’s the first thing I went looking for, and I still haven’t found it. I still only know where one of the corners is if I can trust the iron pipe I found. Another corner is supposed to be a fence post, and I’ve seen a few badly rotten ones, take your pick. The third corner is an iron pin somewhere in the woods and I’m sure I’ve been within a stone’s throw. And then there’s the toby tree which surely is one of the trees along the road, unless it’s gone.
What I am curious about is, if a surveyor puts a spike in a tree in 1986, what would it look like then? Would the spike be, say, knee level or eye level? Which way would the spike face? How much does a tree grow in 30+ years and what happens to the spike? Does it end up inside the tree? When you put a spike in a tree, how many years do you expect it to be a useful monument? Surely you would be well aware that trees grow and change and get old and fall some day?
- 4 Replies
Your story reminds me of a huck finn story, (or was it tom sawyer?) some kid shows the class just a little bit of something, in his pocket, then conceals it, when he has everyone’s attention.
Curiosity driven surveyors are tormented by the missing pieces in life. I’m no exception.
So, please give us all more information, and you will get more accurate answers.
Some of us wander in wild speculation, when key pieces are held back.
We would like it if you posted your State, and what part of that State. Just post your whole deed.
Ok?
In my part of the world it would be a nail in the tree root. Most likely 20D or bigger left sticking up about an inch. After 32 years its probably sucked in and grown over.
One of the mysteries of trees is they just add to their girth and height. A spike or mark in a tree would still be in its same place now as it was when first placed.
As trees grow they add new growth over the mark which often ends up obscured by time and requires cutting out to get a measurement to it.
Well Aussie trees do and that goes for English Oaks growing in our land. Yours would be same.
I’ll leave the local brethren to answer other queries.
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