Final answer:
Metes and bounds descriptions are used to describe land when it is not covered by a plat. They were common during the colonial period and especially useful for documenting land with irregular boundaries, often based on natural landmarks. Today, these descriptions are necessary to achieve an accurate title for land transactions.
Step-by-step explanation:
Metes and bounds descriptions are cadastral systems used to describe land that has not been formally surveyed into regular lots and blocks. This land division system was common during the colonial period where English settlers used it to claim unclaimed lands. When a surveyor was hired to inspect such a land, they would draft a description of the desired plot based on local landmarks such as trees, boulders, or streams. This system was often used when the property was not covered by a plat as it provided a way to document irregular and fragmented properties. The irregular nature of metes and bounds led to complex problems in determining property lines, especially when they were demarcated by movable objects. Moreover, the system enabled early settlers, including wealthy individuals and politically connected parties, to claim high-quality farmland, which contributed to an unfair distribution of land and economic power. Today, for a property owner to sell land, a precise property description is needed for an accurate title, and the dimensions must be calculated from the metes and bounds description or newer survey technologies.