Bava Batra

MISHNAH. A PRESUMPTIVE TITLE  TO HOUSES, PITS, DITCHES AND CAVES, DOVECOTES, BATHS, OLIVE PRESSES, IRRIGATED FIELDS, SLAVES, AND ANYTHING WHICH IS CONTINUALLY PRODUCING  IS CONFERRED BY THREE YEARS [UNCHALLENGED POSSESSION]  FROM DAY TO DAY.  A PRESUMPTIVE TITLE TO A NON-IRRIGATED FIELD IS CONFERRED BY THREE YEARS' POSSESSION NOT RECKONED FROM DAY TO DAY.  R. ISHMAEL SAYS: IT IS SUFFICIENT TO HAVE THREE MONTHS IN THE FIRST YEAR, THREE MONTHS IN THE LAST AND TWELVE IN THE MIDDLE,  MAKING EIGHTEEN MONTHS IN ALL. R. AKIBA SAYS: ALL THAT IS REQUIRED IS A MONTH IN THE FIRST, A MONTH IN THE LAST, AND TWELVE MONTHS IN THE MIDDLE, MAKING FOURTEEN MONTHS IN ALL.  R. ISHMAEL SAYS: THIS REFERS ONLY TO A CORNFIELD,  BUT IN A FIELD PLANTED WITH TREES,  IF A MAN HARVESTS HIS GRAPES, GATHERS IN HIS OLIVES, AND CULLS HIS FIGS, THIS COUNTS AS THREE YEARS. GEMARA. R. Johanan said: I have heard those who attended at Usha  reasoning thus: Whence do we derive the rule that a presumptive title is acquired in three years?  — From the 'goring ox'.  Just as in the case of the' goring ox', after goring three times  it passes out of the denomination  of Tam  into that of Mu'ad,  so after a man has cropped  a field for three years it passes [entirely] out of the possession of the seller and is established in the possession of the buyer.  It may be objected to this that just as in the case of the goring ox its master does not become liable  till the fourth goring, so here the property should not become the fixed possession of the holder  till the end of the fourth year? — How can you compare the two cases.  There, as soon as the ox has gored three times, it is regarded as Mu'ad,