214 



THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



that the latter method is far better adapted for the convenience 

 of trade ; but some object to any change, on account of the 

 interfeience it will necessitate with private interests. We 

 have, then, two parties — those who wish it legalised to sell by 

 weight, and those who wish to adhere to the present system, 

 the selling by measure. To the former class belong almost all 

 the extensive merchants, millers, and dealers iu corn through- 

 out England, Scotland, and Ireland; to the latter beloiifr 

 principally a large proportion of those agriculturists who are 

 accustomed to sell their grain iu stock markets, such as Edin- 

 burgh, Dalkeith, &c, ; while we have reason to know that iu 

 those districts where selling by sample is the practice, there is 

 a pretty strong feeling among farmers iu favour of selling by 

 weight. And we may mention, further, that farmers are gra- 

 dually and tacitly giving iu their adhesion to the selling of 

 grain by weight, by their adoption of the practice of sacking 

 their graiu directly from the scales, without measuring :uiy of 

 it but the four first bushels. There is no doubt, then, that 

 the great majority of those connected with the graiu trade, 

 whether they be producers or purchaaers, are iu favour of 

 selling by weight ; and there ia as little doubt that, even un- 

 der the present law, fir more graiu is sold by weight than by 

 measure. We have, therefore, little hesitation in aflirming 

 that there is a great preponderance of opioiou in favour of 

 selling by weight. 



Such being the case, it becomes those who are in favour of 

 the present system to give due weight to the opinions of the 

 other party. Lot them not attempt to throw obstacles in the 

 way of an amicable settlement of the question. Let them not 

 try to enforce the present law by penalties without due consi- 

 deration. The first penalty imposed will be the knell of the 

 present system ; it will raise a storm that will not be quelled 

 but by the sacrifice of that system which they are so anxious 

 to uphold, viz , the selling of grain by measure, A question 

 such as this is not to be decided by the exaction of penalties, 

 but by the rules of justice, and by what is found best for the 

 convenience of the public and the purposes of trade. Let them 

 not be misled a^ to the state of public feeling and the senti- 

 ments of Members of Parliament. The influential meeting 

 held at Liverpool lately, which was attended by gentlemen 

 connected with the corn trade, and representing various 

 markets iu the country, was no bad exponent of public feeling. 

 The following was the resolution unauimously adopted : — 

 "That this meeting do thnrcfore recommend to the trade in 

 Liverpool, and elsewhere throughout the kingdom, that from 

 and after the first day of February next, the weight of 100 lbs. 

 avoirdupois be adopted and used in all sales of grain, flour, and 

 meal." And this was passed, let it be remembered, in the face 

 of an existing statute, which enjoins the selling of grain by 

 measure, and which some gentlemen consider it the wisest 

 plan to enforce by penalties. And what is the feeling in Par- 

 liament ? The proceedings of the last session will answer this 

 question. Mr. Bass introduced a short Act rendering the 

 selling of grain by measure or by the imperial quarter com- 

 pulsory, as in fact the present law does : it passed the first 

 reading, but was thrown out at ti:e second reading on the re- 

 presentation of one or two of the Chambers of Commerce 

 throughout the country. 



While we caution the one party against attempting to force 

 upon the country a system which is found to be most incon- 

 venient, we would urge upon the other not to be rash in re- 

 sorting to legislation ou such an important sul.ject ; for there 

 are some strong reisous and serious objections against hastily 

 substituting weight for measure iu the sale of grain. At none 

 of the meetings held to confer on this question have we seen 

 the slightest allusion made to the manner in which grain is 



sold iu other countries, if we except only the great meeting at 

 liverpool, where it was staled by some gentlemen as a good 

 reason for adopting 1001b. as the standard weight for selling 

 all kinds of grain, that that was the etaudard used in Canada, 

 We have now a most extensive trade in corn with other coun- 

 tries ; and it would be advisable, were any change made here, 

 to communicate with the principal corn-exporting couitries, 

 so as to have one uniform standard over the world. We 

 throw out this suggestion in the hope that it will be taken up 

 by those who are moving iu this matter. If there is the pros- 

 pect of effecting this desirable object, viz,, the obtaining a 

 uniform standard over the world — say, 1001b. or its equivalent 

 — it would certainly be better to delay making any change for 

 a time.* 



It cannot be denied that a serious objection against the 

 change from measure to weight is the interference with private 

 interests and arrangements which it will cause, In England, 

 measure is sanctioned in the Tithes Commutation Act. In 

 Scotland, rents are agreed on by the imperial bushel ; ministers' 

 stipends are paid according to measure; and many other 

 private agreements are made which would have to be re- 

 adjusted were there a change iu the law. It might be said that 

 grain might be sold by weight, even though these arrange- 

 ments were iu existence and unaltered. It could only be done 

 by those who are never called upon to give evidence of the 

 price of grain sold throughout the year for striking the Bars 

 prices ; but farmers and others who are summoned to give 

 evidence in the striking of the fiars, must continue to sell by 

 measure till some adjustment be made between weight and 

 measure in present agreements, and the fiars be struck ac- 

 cording to weight, and not according to measure, as at present. 

 Now many consider this an insuperable objection to making 

 the change from measure to weight. It is, no doubt, at all 

 times with great reluctance, and not without strong reasons, 

 that the Legislature would sanction any measure which would 

 disturb existing agreements between private individuals. But 

 if this can be done with justice, and the consent of all parties, 

 the objection vanishes. Now we do not consider the present 

 method of striking the fiars prices (we allude to them parti- 

 cularly, for it is by them that all agreements in grain in Scot- 

 land are settled) such an insuperable objection. When the 

 Act of 1824 was passed, it was provided that juries were to 

 be sworn in every district and county where it was necessary 

 to make the proper adjustments iu private agreements between 

 the old system and that introduced by the Act, which 

 was the uniformity of weights and measures. And if 

 it was done before, why cannot it be done again ? We would 

 have as much confidence in the verdict of such a jury as we 

 have in the results obtained according to the present hap- 

 hazard method of striking the fiars. There is no subject on 

 which legislation is more called for than the fiars ; and we are 

 glad to find that the county gentlemen of Edinburgh, having 

 called the attention of the Commissioners of Supply through- 

 out Scotland to the irregularities and uncertainties of the 

 present method, we arc now on the eve of legislation on it. A 

 more favouriihle opportunity then, could not be got for effecting 

 the change from measure to weight, so as to conform to the 

 plan now advocated of selling grain by a uniform standard of 



♦ Wliile tliis paper is passing tlirougli tlic press, we have lie.ird 

 that a meotin? of morcliants was held at Hi'rlin about the 11th 

 of last month, at wliich it was agreed to oast nsiile measure 

 (except as a mark of showing quality), and to sell all grain by 

 weisht — wheat, rye, uarloy, and oilseeds, per 2,000 lbs. ; oats per 

 1,200 Ills.; other corn and potatoes, per 100 lbs. In all changes 

 that have been recently made in the st!ind;ird of selling grain, 

 100 lbs., or a multiple of it, has been fixed upon as the most 

 convenient, and in anticipation of the decimal system being 

 adopted through time. 



