40 CHAPTER 5. 



per bushel. In weighing them for this purpose it is of course the object 

 of the seller to get as many oats as possible into the measure, and thus 

 to increase the apparent weight of the sample per bushel; whilst the 

 object of the buyer is to make them weigh as light as he can, or in other 

 words, fill the measure with the least possible quantity of grain. 



Tricks are often played on the unwary, and sundry devices are adopted, 

 such as moving the measure once or twice while it is being filled, or 

 shaking it, or knocking against it with the scoop in pouring in the grain, 

 or heaping it over-full, and pressing down the grain, when it is " struck." 

 The effect of these devices is to cause the oats to lie close together, and 

 thus to make the measure hold more than it otherwise would. 



But apart from such tricks, which of course are easily seen and 

 checked, a veiy considerable difference may be produced in the apparent 

 weight of oats according to the way in which the measure is filled. 



In the wholesale trade the bushel measure is pushed into a large heap, 

 and turned over gently and struck at once. It is essential that the heap 

 be large, or the measure will not be filled without the aid of a scoop. A 

 good deal of practice is required to do this in a workmanlike way. This 

 gives the true, otherwise called the " natural " or " trade " weight. 



In the retail trade some other methods are commonly used. The fol- 

 lowing are the results of various ways of weighing a bushel of oats, of 

 which the natural or trade weight was 38 Ib. 



Filled quickly from a large shovel, and the strike applied at once, the 

 measure held 38J Ib. The success of the operation depends on the 

 measure being placed on a firm basis, so that it will not move or shake, 

 and on its being filled quickly. The oats then have not time to run 

 together and consolidate. The measure in consequence holds almost the 

 least possible quantity. 



Filled from the mouth of the sack, by allowing the oats to run in 

 freely and quickly, the measure held nearly 38f Ib., when the operation 

 was neatly and well managed. There is a good deal of knack in getting 

 the oats to run freely. The mouth of the sack must be opened wide, 

 and the sides should be well turned down, so that no interruption may 

 occur in filling the measure. Care must be taken that the mouth of the 

 sack does not touch the measure. With this view, the sack should be 

 placed on a raised platform. The foot-board of the scales will answer for 

 this purpose. 



Filled very quickly from a small scoop, the measure held 39 Ib. Filled 

 somewhat slowly from the same scoop, 39 J Ib. 



Filled from a shovel held at the hip, the grain being allowed to flow 

 or trickle in slowly, the measure held 42 Ib. ; or in other words, the 

 sample was made to appear to weigh 42 Ib. instead of 38 Ib., the natural 

 or trade weight. Here both the height from which the grains fell, and 

 the slowness of the operation, combined in causing consolidation. 



Different samples, no doubt, will give somewhat varying results accord- 

 ing to the greater or less tendency which they may possess for con- 

 solidating ; but from these details the intending purchaser will readily 



