[585.] Pennant's Tour in Scotland, p. 281. 'Observed on the right several very regular terraces cut on the face of a hill. They are most exactly formed, a little raised in the middle like a firm walk, and about 20 feet broad, and of very considerable length. In some places were three, in others five flights, placed one above the other, terminating exactly in a line at each end, and most precisely finished. I am told that such tiers of terraces are not uncommon in these parts, where they are called baulks.'
[586.] See Pugh's Welsh Dictionary:
- Balc, a break in furrow land.
- Balcia, a breaking of furrows.
- Balcio, to break furrows.
- Balciog, having irregular furrows.
- Balciwr, a breaker of furrows.
And see supra, p. 4.
[587.] So in the St. Gall charters, quoted above. Thus also Dronke, Traditiones et Antiq. Fuldenses, p. 107, 'xx. diurnales hoc est quod tot diebus arari poterit.'—Landau, 45.
[588.] Varro, De Re Rustica, i. 10; and see Plin. Hist. Nat. 18. 3. 15.
[589.] See supra, chapter viii.
[590.] I have found it in use on the coast opposite the Isle of Skye. Several crofters will take a tract of land, divide it first into larger divisions, or 'parks,' and then divide the parks into lots, of which each takes one.
[591.] I am indebted for this information to Professor Meitzen, who informs me that he doubts whether it was a feature of the old purely German open fields. In undisturbed old German districts the 'Gewanne' and strips are of irregular and arbitrary size, and are not separated by permanent turf 'raine' or balks.
[592.] Hanssen, p. 198.