DRY AND LIQUID MEASTRE Dry Eleasure.—The standard unit of dry measure is the English or Winchester bushel, containing 9150.42 cubic inches or 77.627 pounds avoir dupois of distilled water at its great est density. The standard measure is circular in form, its diameter inside being 18i inches, and its depth 8 inches. Dry measure is used in meas uring grain, coal, fruit, vegetables, etc. The following is a table of dry measure commonly used in the United States: 4 gills 1 pt. =343- cu. in. nearly.
2 pints 1 qt. = 69i cu. in.
4 quarts 1 gal.= 277/ cu. in.
8 quarts 1 pk.
2 gallons 1 pk. = 5544. cu. in.
4 pks. or 8 gal 1 bu. —2150i cu. in.
8 bushels 1 qr. =10+ cu. ft. nearly.
36 bushels 1 chaldron.
When articles usually measured by the above table are sold by weight, the bushel is taken as the unit. The number of avoirdupois pounds in a bushel varies in different States and with different articles.
In measuring grain, seeds, or small fruit, the measure must be even or " stricken." In measuring large fruits or coarse vegetables, corn in the ear, etc., and also meal and bran, the measure should be heaped at least 6 inches.
Five stricken bushels are considered equal to 4 heaped bushels. The strick en bushel is now little used, except to ascertain capacities.
All the denominations are used in trade, the peck being the least in use, English Dry Ateasure.—In addition to the above the following terms for units of dry measure are still cus tomary to some extent in the British Empire: 2 quarts 1 pottle.
2 bushels 1 strike.
2 strikes 1 coomb.
2 coombs 1 quarter.
5 quarters 1 load.
3 bushels 1 sack.
36 bushels 1 chaldron.
Thirty - two British or Imperial bushels are equal to 38 of our bushels.
Capacity of Boxes, Cribs, Wagon Bodies, etc.— The most convenient mode of ascertaining the capacity of boxes, bins, cribs, and the like, and also of measuring their contents, is by ascertaining the number of cubic feet which they contain; of this amount will be the number of bushels, 1 cu bic foot being t of a bushel nearly. Hence, to find the number of bushels in any receptacle which bas parallel sides and square corners, first find the number of cubic feet by multiply ing the height, length, and width in feet and deduct i; the result will be the contents in bushels, Or for an approximate answer multiply the num ber of cubic feet by 8 and point off one decimal place.
These rules will give the number of bushels of apples, potatoes, and other vegetables or the capacity of any size bin or crib or wagon body.
In estimating corn on the cob, its quality and condition must be taken into account. Corn shrinks consider ably during the winter and spring months. But, as a general rule, 9 heaping bushels of corn on the cob at the time it is put into the crib will make from 1 to struck bushels of shelled corn. In buying or selling it is advisable to make a test from a fair sample taken from the crib at the time of sale. To measure corn in the crib, multiply together the length, width, and height of the crib in inches, divide by 2,748, and the result will be the number of heaped bushels of ears. Or divide by 2,150 for the number of struck bushels. The quotient in each case will be the corresponding num ber of bushels contained in the bin.
If the sides of the crib flare, ascer tain the mean width by measuring the width at both top and bottom, add the two amounts and divide by 2.
Or, it is estimated that 2 cubic feet of somid dry corn on the ear will make 1 bushel shelled. nence mul tiply together the length, breadth, and height of the crib in feet and divide by 9. This should give the number of bushels of shelled corn in the crib. The corn should, of course, be uni formly level so as to be of equal depth throughout.
Capacity of Boxes.—The following is a table showing the principal units of dry measurement with the inside dimensions of boxes or bins having square corners and parallel sides that will contain the quantities stated. One convenient form of making boxes in small sizes for the storage of vegetables and numerous other pur poses about the household, farm, and garden, is to cut the two ends of inch pine stuff to the proper size and form the bottom and two sides of laths. Saw these to the right length and tack them to the ends, with the thick ness of a lath between each two. Such boxes are light, strong, and service able. Larger bins or crates of heavier materials can be prepared on the same principle.