428] ANNUAL REGISTER, 1706. 
made by a reduétion of the custo- 
mary measure of the market to 
Winchestet measure, the price of 
the measure of ten gallons being 
rarked as nine gallons, they raise 
the price of the article-considerably 
,above the value it- sold for. In 
other markets, where no average 
is taken, the price of bread is ge- 
nerally fixed from the highest sale 
ef the best wheat which has been 
in the market ; consequently the 
price of flour, bearing a propor- 
tionate value to the wheat of 
which it is made, and that being 
put at a higher average (owing to 
this false return) it follows, that 
bread is sold at a dearer rate than 
it would be if the sale of wheat 
was properly regulated, 
It will be said, Why is not the use 
of the Winchester bushel enforced, 
as the law direéts? This has been 
attempted during the Jast century 
without success ; it is a very un- 
popular proceeding to bring this 
forward. The lower orders of 
people detest it, from the smallness 
of its contents, and the dealers 
of provisions instigate them to this, 
it being theirinterest to retainevery 
wncertainty in weights and mea- 
sures, and this cannot be enforced, 
but by informations, which do not 
suit the honest character of the 
people of this country ; butif it was 
brought into general use, certainty 
{which is one object of this letter} 
could not be obtained; for in the 
act of measuring, no two men fill 
the same quantity into the same 
bushels, and the manner of striking 
the measure is as uncertain as that 
of filling it. Weight, regulated 
by the 35th Geo. III. which gives 
the magistrates a power of. pre- 
venting false weights, would re. 
medy this, and prove the difference 
of the quality of good and bad 
wheat, which is supposed to be 
nearly one-third; this difference 
will shew the fallacy of the origi« 
nal formation of the bushel, which 
is to contain 495,040 grains of 
wheat, ** well dried, and gathered 
out of the middle of the ear,’”” not. 
withstanding there is perhaps as 
much difference in. ears of wheat, 
arising from soil, climate, and 
culture, as there isin the uncertairr 
measures of this kingdom. The 
system of weighing corn is pracs 
tised in many parts of the country ; 
it is authorized to be done by the 
31st Geo. III. in which aé& the 
respective weights ofall grain taken 
by the bushel, and also of the meal 
of the different grains, is inserted ; 
and as most corn dealers buy accord. 
ing to their judgment of the weight 
of grain, and all millers weigh 
their corn on its being delivered at 
the mill, the regulation which I 
propose would not be strange to 
them, and it will place the shop.« 
keeper, manufacturer, and labourer 
(who purchase wheat for their 
own use) ona fair footing with 
dealers. It will reward the ina 
dustrious farmer, by giving the 
highest price to the best and cleanest 
corn, while it exposes the idle and 
slovenly farmer, by reducing his 
price to the proportionate quality 
of his unproduétive grain. 
Salt was originally sold by mea 
sure—it is now sold by weight, 
56lb. to the bushel. Theat which 
regulated this, in one instant equa« 
lized all the salt measures in the 
kingdom: the same effect would 
follow a similar proceeding in the 
sale of corn, by which the asstze on 
flour might be justly set, and the 
relation 
