WEIGHTS AND MEASURES

4535. A--_Measure of Length._

+---------------------------------------------------------+ | 12 Inches = 1 Foot, | +---------------------------------------------------------+ | 3 Feet " 1 Yard, | +---------------------------------------------------------+ | 5½ Yards " 1 Rod, or Pole, | +---------------------------------------------------------+ | 40 Poles " 1 Furlong, | +---------------------------------------------------------+ | 8 Furlongs " 1 Mile, | +---------------------------------------------------------+ | 69-1/51 Miles " 1 Degree of Great Circle of Earth. | +---------------------------------------------------------+

4536. An inch is the smallest lineal measure to which a name is given, but subdivisions are used for many purposes. Among mechanics the inch is commonly divided into _eighths_. By the officers of the revenue, and by scientific persons, it is divided into _tenths_, _hundredths_, &c. Formerly it was made to consist of twelve parts called lines.

4537. B.--_Particular Measures of Length._

+-------------------------------------+-----------------------------+ | A Nail = 2¼ inches | } | +-------------------------------------| } | | Quarter " 4 Nails | } Used for measuring Cloth | +-------------------------------------| } of all kinds. | | Yard " 4 Quarters | } | +-------------------------------------| } | | Ell " 5 Quarters | } | +-------------------------------------+-----------------------------+ | Hand " 4 Inches, used for the height of Horses. | +-------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Fathom " 6 Feet, used in measuring depths | +-------------------------------------+-----------------------------+ | | } Used in Land Measure to | | Link " 7 In. 92 hdths. | } facilitate computation of | +-------------------------------------| } content, 10 sq. chains | | Chain " 100 Links | } being equal to an acre. | +-------------------------------------+-----------------------------+

4538. C.--_Measure of Surface._

+---------------------------------------+ | 144 Square Inches = 1 Square Foot | +---------------------------------------+ | 9 Square Feet " 1 Square Yard | +---------------------------------------+ | 30¼ Square Yards " 1 Perch, or Rod | +---------------------------------------+ | 40 Perches " 1 Rood | +---------------------------------------+ | 4 Roods " 1 Acre | +---------------------------------------+ | 640 Acres " 1 Square Mile. | +---------------------------------------+

4539. D.--_Measures of Solidity and Capacity._

DIVISION I.--SOLIDITY.

+------------------------------------+ | 1728 Cubic Inches = 1 Cubic Foot | +------------------------------------+ | 27 Cubic Feet " 1 Cubic Yard | +------------------------------------+

DIVISION II.--CAPACITY.

+-------------------------------------------------------+ |4 Gills = 1 Pint = 34⅔ cubic inches nearly.| +-------------------------------------------------------+ |2 Pints " 1 Quart " 69½ " | +-------------------------------------------------------+ |4 Quarts " 1 Gallon " 277¼ " | +-------------------------------------------------------+ |2 Gallons " 1 Peck " 554½ " | +-------------------------------------------------------+ |8 Gallons " 1 Bushel " 2218¼ " | +-------------------------------------------------------+ |8 Bushels " 1 Quarter " 10¼ cubic feet nearly. | +-------------------------------------------------------+ |5 Quarters " 1 Load " 51½ " | +-------------------------------------------------------+

4540. The four last denominations are used for dry goods only. For liquids several denominations have been heretofore adopted, viz.:--for Beer, the Firkin of 9 gallons, the Kilderkin, of 18, the Barrel, of 36, the Hogshead, of 54, and the Butt, of 108 gallons. These will probably continue to be used in practice. For Wine and Spirits, there are the Anker, Runlet, Tierce, Hogshead, Puncheon, Pipe, Butt, and Tun; but these may be considered rather as the names of the casks in which such commodities are imported, than as expressing any definite number of gallons. It is the practice to gauge all such vessels, and to charge them according to their actual content.

4541. Flour is sold nominally by measure, but actually by weight, reckoned at 7 lbs. Avoirdupois to a gallon.

4542. E.--_Measure of Avoirdupois Weight._

+-------------------------------------------------------------+ | 27-11/32 Grains = 1 Dram = 27-11/32 grains | +-------------------------------------------------------------+ | 16 Drams " 1 Ounce " 437½ " | +-------------------------------------------------------------+ | 16 Ounces " 1 Pound (lb.) " 7000 " | +-------------------------------------------------------------+ | 28 Pounds " 1 Quarter (qr.) | +-------------------------------------------------------------+ | 4 Quarters " 1 Hundred-weight (cwt.) | +-------------------------------------------------------------+ | 20 Cwt. " 1 Ton. | +-------------------------------------------------------------+

This weight is used in almost all commercial transactions, and in the common dealings of life.

+---------------------------------------------+ | A Firkin of Butter 56 lb. | +---------------------------------------------+ | ---- Soap 64 " | +---------------------------------------------+ | A Barrel of Anchovies 30 " | +---------------------------------------------+ | A Barrel of Soap 256 lb. | +---------------------------------------------+ | ---- Raisins 112 " | +---------------------------------------------+ | A fother of Lead 19½ cwt. | +---------------------------------------------+

4543. F.--_Measures of Pounds._

The following table of the number of pounds of various articles to a bushel, may be of interest to some of our farming friends.

+------------------------------------------+ | Wheat 60 lbs. is 1 bus. | +------------------------------------------+ | Shelled Corn 46 " " | +------------------------------------------+ | Corn in cob 70 " " | +------------------------------------------+ | Oats 35 " " | +------------------------------------------+ | Barley 48 " " | +------------------------------------------+ | Potatoes 60 " " | +------------------------------------------+ | Beans 60 " " | +------------------------------------------+ | Bran 20 " " | +------------------------------------------+ | Clover Seed 60 " " | +------------------------------------------+ | Timothy seed 45 " " | +------------------------------------------+ | Flax Seed 56 " " | +------------------------------------------+ | Hemp Seed 44 " " | +------------------------------------------+ | Buckwheat 42 " " | +------------------------------------------+ | Blue grass seed 14 " " | +------------------------------------------+ | Castor Beans 46 " " | +------------------------------------------+

4544. G.--_Measures for Housekeepers._[D]

+-------------------------------------------------------+ | Wheat Flour, 1 lb. is 1 quart | +-------------------------------------------------------+ | Indian Meal, 1 " 2 oz. " 1 " | +-------------------------------------------------------+ | Butter, when soft, 1 " " 1 " | +-------------------------------------------------------+ | Loaf Sugar, broken 1 " " 1 " | +-------------------------------------------------------+ | White Sugar, powdered 1 " 1 oz. " 1 " | +-------------------------------------------------------+ | Best Brown Sugar, 1 " 2 oz. " 1 " | +-------------------------------------------------------+ | Eggs, 10 eggs are 1 lb. | +-------------------------------------------------------+ | Flour, 8 quarts " 1 peck. | +-------------------------------------------------------+ | Flour, 4 pecks " 1 bus. | +-------------------------------------------------------+

4545.[E] LIQUIDS.

+---------------------------------------------------+ | 16 large table-spoonsful are half a pint | +---------------------------------------------------+ | 8 large table-spoonsful are one gill | +---------------------------------------------------+ | 4 large table-spoonsful are half a gill | +---------------------------------------------------+ | 2 gills are half a pint | +---------------------------------------------------+ | 2 pints are one quart | +---------------------------------------------------+ | 4 quarts are one gallon | +---------------------------------------------------+ | A common-sized tumbler holds half a pint | +---------------------------------------------------+ | A common-sized wine-glass holds half a gill | +---------------------------------------------------+ | 25 drops are equal to one teaspoonful | +---------------------------------------------------+

FOOTNOTES:

[A] "A Biographical Dictionary of Distinguished Women."

[B] The rural population of America is now over twenty millions.

[C] See "Mrs. Hale's New Cook Book."

[D] By the above method, persons not having scales and weights at hand, may readily measure the articles wanted to form any receipt, without the trouble of weighing. Allowance to be made for an extraordinary dryness or moisture of the article weighed or measured.

[E] The Nurse will find this manner of measuring liquids very convenient; to the housekeeper it will be of importance. A similar "Table of Weights and Measures" is prefixed to the "_New Cook Book_;" and to that work of mine the patrons of this "Receipt Book" are referred for information on all matters of "household good," not found, or not fully explained in this treatise. The two volumes are intended as family companions, and will, I trust, be usually found together.