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THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



Tho returns are from eight members of this Club, twenty 

 local farmers' clubs and agricultural societies, and sixty- 

 four boards of guardians; and on reference to column No, 

 1, it will be seen that there is an entire unanimity as to the 

 desirabilit3' of abolishing the great diversity of weights 

 and measures at present existing, and of establishing 

 a uniform standard. This, though very gratifying, is only 

 what might hare been expected. Indeed, the present 

 system is altogether indefensible ; and it seems perfectly 

 marvellous that it has been tolerated so long. Time has 

 been, when this mystification of the many was doubt- 

 less to the benefit of the few. That, however, has already 

 passed, or is rapidly passing away; and as all concerned 

 are inconvenienced, and very few profit by it, the desire 

 for an entire change is rapidly gaining ground. It seems 

 almost needless to dwell on this part of the subject, further 

 than to place on the records of the Club a list of weights 

 and measures by which corn is sold ; and if it is instrumen- 

 tal in bringing about their destruction, and in establishing 

 one only as a standard, it will not have existed in vain. 

 The measures for wheat are as follows: The last of 10 

 qrs. ; the load of 5 qrs., 5 bush., and 3 bush. ; the quarter 

 of 8 bushels ; the coomb of 4 bushels ; the bag of 3 bushels ; 

 the boll of 4 bushels and 2 bushels. The weights for 

 •wheat are as follows : The bushel of 801b., 7Slb., 721b., 

 701b., 67ilb., 651b., 641b., 631b., 621b., 611b., and 601b. ; the 

 load of 4881b., 2801b., and 2611b.; the boll of 2401b. ; the 

 bag of 12 score, 11 score and 101b., 11 score and 41b., and 

 11 score; the barrel of 2881b. ; the windle of 2201b.; the 

 hobbit of 1681b.; also by weight of 40 stone, 36 stone, 20 

 stone, and 14 stone; also by 4801b., 2241b., 1901b., 1401b., 

 and 1121b. The measures for barley are — the quarter of 8 

 bushels ; the coomb of 4 bushels : the bag of 3 bushels ; and 

 the bushel of 39 quarts and 38 quarts. The weights for 

 barley are— 4161b., 1121b.; the boll of 3201b.; the barrel 

 of 2241b. ; the hobbit of 1471b.; 32 stone, 30 stone, and 12 

 stone ; the bushel of 601b, 56Ib., 541b., 52Jlb.„501b., 401b., 

 and 381b, Oats are sold by the qr. of 8 bushels ; the bag 

 of 3 bushels; the load of 196 quarts and 192 quarts : also 

 by the following weights— The boll of 2641b. ; the load of 

 2401b. ; the barrel of 1961b. ; the hobbit of 1051b. ; the bag 

 of 8 score ; the cwt. ; the stone ; and the bushel of 451b. 

 and 401b. ; and by 24 stone. Beans by the qr. of 8 bushels • 

 the load of 5 bushels, and of 144 quarts ; and the bag of 3 

 bushels: also by the following weights— 3201b., 280Ib.5 

 2201b., and 1121b.; by 10 score ; by 38 stone ; the windle 

 of 2201b.; and the bushel of 661b. and 631b. Peas by the 

 qr. of 8 bushels ; the bag of 3 bushels ; the bushel of 631b. ; 

 »nd the boll of 2801b. Rye by the qr. of 8 bushels, and 

 the bag of 3 bushels ; and by weight of 320ib. Tares by 

 the qr., the bag, and the bushel. Flour is also sold by the 

 sack of 2801b.; the pack of 2401b. ; the barrel of 1961b. • 

 and the stone of 141b. Indian meal by the load of 2401b 

 and the barrel of 1961b. Oatmeal by weight of 2401b. and 

 1121b. Indian corn by the qr. of 8 bushels ; and by weight 

 of 4801b. and 1801b. Malt by the qr. of 8 bushels, and the 

 load of 6 bush. Such are the weights and measures by 

 which com, meal, and malt are now sold in the different 

 markets of the United Kingdom, as far as I have been able 

 to ascertain them ; but there are, doubtless, many others. 

 Those enumerated amount to a goodly number, being, for 

 wheat alone, no less than 41; for barley, 20; oats" 14; 

 beans, 13; peas, 4 ; rye, 3 ; tares, 3; Indian corn, 3; malt^ 

 2 ; flour, 4 ; oatmeal, 2 ; and Indian meal, 2. They are, as 

 a whole, a disgrace to the country in which they exist ; 

 and I hope shortly to hear the last of them, except as histori- 



cal curiosities. I am not acquainted with the weights and 

 measures of other civilized countries, but should fancy that 

 ours can have no parallel. We have so far considered the 

 question as effecting corn, meal, and malt only ; but there are 

 a host of weights and measures for meat, butter, cheesei 

 potatoes, fruit, hay, straw, &c., alike perplexing and incon- 

 venient, and therefore objectionable. Having pointed out the 

 evils, we must now consider what is likely to be the best 

 remedy ; and I hope the members of this Club will be ready 

 and willing to set an example to their brother-farmers and mer- 

 chants throughout the kingdom, by showing an earnest dispo- 

 sition to submit to a temporary inconvenience in order to at- 

 tam a great public good. There can be no such changes as 

 that we are now contemplating, without a considerable amount 

 of personal inconvenience ; but prices would immediately ad- 

 just themselves to any given standard, and in a very short 

 time we should find the new one quite as convenient as the 

 old : and, by being of general, instead of only local use, it 

 would be infinitely more satisfactory. The greatest obstacles 

 to be contended with will be local prejudices. Each district 

 thinks its own custom the right one, aud makes a desperate 

 stand for its retention. There are, as I have shown to you, 

 more than forty different weights and measures in use for the 

 sale of wheat alone ; and if there are to be as many battles in 

 the endeavours of each locality to secure the future use of the 

 one it has been accustomed to, how small will be the chances of 

 a beneficial result ! Rely upon it, the change at which we are 

 aiming can never be accomplished until those interested in its 

 attainment are unanimous in their desire for it, and ready to 

 make sacrifices in order to obtain it. Thej' must also make 

 that desire known to tho Government in terms most unmis- 

 takable, for I believe no really beneficial change will ever be 

 made till the Government takes the matter in hand. And 

 now let us consider what that change should be. The first 

 point to be decided is this : Are we to have a measure of 

 capacity ? or, are we to have one or more of weight ? or are we 

 to have a combination of the two ? If a measure of capacity, 

 the imperial bushel will answer every purpose ; but if we adopt 

 weight, we shall then have to consider what it shall be, or 

 how far it will be right to use weight and measure together. 

 In our endeavours to select a new standard of measure by which 

 the sale of corn and other agricultural produce shall in 

 future be conducted, we must be especially careful to 

 select one on which perfect reliance can be placed for its 

 unerring accuracy. Unless we do so, no Act of Parlia- 

 ment vrill ensure its adoption, and no amount of fines make 

 its use compulsory. Now, does the bushel measure fulfil 

 that necessary condition ? I say most emphatically that it 

 does not ; and hence its use, except in name, is rapidly 

 declining. It is by no means an accurate test of quantitj'. 

 It was, in times past, the best available measure ; but that 

 is no longer the case. Its invention was probably coeval 

 with the flail and the winnowing-fan ; and it would be just 

 as wise to revert to those implements for the purpose of 

 thrashing and dressing all the corn we grow, as it will be 

 to continue the bushel measure for the purpose of ascer- 

 taining the quantity of it. With the best possible inten- 

 tions of doing right, the man has never existed who could 

 measure up a quantity of corn with it, however uniform the 

 bulk might be, without their being variations in the weight 

 per sack, when tested by an accurate weighing machine ; 

 and it is very easy so to measure it that very large differ- 

 ences will be the result, and j-eta person overlooking the 

 operation could make no objection to the measure. In 

 trying the experiment the other day with oats, we made as 

 much as 3^ lbs. per bushel difference, and in no instance 



