No. 6, Weights and Meastires — Farm of B. V. French, Esq. 



179 



For the Farmers' Caliiiift. 



Weig^lils aiKl ITIeasiircs, 



" Divers weights and measures lire an aboiiiiiiatinn." 



The subject of eptablishinir by the Cnnnfress 

 of the United Suites an uniform standard of 

 weiglits and measures for the whole confed- 

 eracy, is a matter of irreat importance to 

 the ajxriciiltural and commercial interests. — 

 Most of the States, perhaps all, have legis- 

 lated on this very interesting, important and 

 difficult subject, and it is obvious from the 

 results of their disjointed labors, that there is 

 still r(K)m for the exorcise of the skill, judg- 

 ment and science of the most learned men in 

 the nation, to reduce the chaos to order, and to 

 prepare a uniform system, founded on scientific 

 principles, for the use of the whole nation. — 

 Much confusion and loss must be sustained 

 by the great discrepancies which exist in the 

 weights and measures in use in the different 

 states, which are in habits of constant com- 

 mercial intercourse. 



On an examination of the learned and able 

 report made by .John Quincy Adams, to the 

 Senate of the United States in 1*^21, and 

 that made by F. R. Hassler to the same body 

 in 18iW, on tiiis subject, it does not appear that 

 the bushel in any two states contains the same 

 number of cubic inches, and some of them 

 differ materially from each other ; the weights 

 also are variant, and the measures do not al- 

 ways correspond with each other. In Penn- 

 sylvania the Winchester bushel, 18.5 inches 

 in diameter and 8 inches deep, and containing 

 2150.42 cubic inches is understood to be the 

 standard dry measure; one eighth of this or 

 268.8 inches is a gallon, and 67.2 cubic inches 

 the quart, dry measure. The ale gallon is 

 282 cubic inches, and the quart 70.5 inches; 

 and this is understood to be the quart by which 

 dry articles are measured. The wine gallon, 

 which is also the measure of all spirituous 

 liquors, contains 231 cubic inches, and the 

 quart 57.75 inches. The reason for these 

 differences is not sufficiently apparent to be 

 recognized by any person of ordinary under- 

 standing, but they are calculated to produce 

 much embarrassment, and not a little fraud, 

 for there are always persons who are dis- 

 posed to sell by the smaller rather than the 

 larger measure. In England, whence we ob- 

 tained all our standards of weights and mea- 

 sures, a better system has of late years been 

 adopted, by which the pint, quart and gallon, 

 for wine, ale, beer and grain or corn, measure 

 the same with regard to magnitude ; eight of 

 these gallons make one btishel ; and one gal- 

 lon contains 277.274 cubical inches, or ten 

 pounds of distilled water at a temperature of 

 62 degrees ; and the imperial bushel 2218.192 

 cubic inches or 80 pounds of water at 62 de- 

 grees. 



From the above it appears that the English 

 bushel at present in use contains 67.772 cu- 

 bic inches more than the i^txindard bu.«hel of 

 Pennsylvania; and if it would be of any ser- 

 vice and would not intrude on the other mat- 

 ter intended for your valuablo journal, I would 

 furnish the dimensions of the bushels used at 

 the different custom houses in the United 

 State-s and display thea.slounding fact of their 

 total want of uniibrmity ; but perhaps enough 

 has been furnished to induce your intelligent 

 readers to reflect on this very important sub-- 

 ject, and if it should induce them to make an 

 effort, to have returned as members of (,"on- 

 gress, the' wisest and the best men in the 

 nation, we may thus rea.sonably hope for some 

 rational and scientific legislation on this sub- 

 ject, that will benefit all classes of the com- 

 munity, and particularly the farmers, wIkjso 

 interesting business it is to feed and clothe 

 the whole people. C. 



Please furnish us with the statement; it 

 will doubtless be satisfactory to many of our 

 readers. 



Visit to the Farm of B. V. Freiiclij Esq. 

 MOUNT MO.NATIQl'OT, BRAIMREE. 



We have had the plca.'sure of a call at the 

 farm of B. V. French, Esq. of Brainlree, who 

 is well known to the Horticultural community 

 as a gentleman who has devoted much time 

 to the cultivation of fine fruits, especially the 

 pear and apple. His farm contains about 160 

 acres, naturally a cold unpromising soil, but 

 by good management has been brought into 

 a highly productive state. The improvements 

 made upon it since it came into his possession, 

 about 14 years, have been very great, and 

 consist of clearing the ground of stones, drain- 

 ing, walls, gates, barns and other out buildings, 

 and cellars for fruit, vegetables, manure, &,c., 

 and above all in the extensive collection of 

 choice fruits. These improvements have 

 been accomplished by a steady system of op- 

 erations, giving evidence of the perseverance 

 and skill of the operator. His orchards cover 

 an extent of 23 acres; most of the trees have 

 been planted by his own hand. Not only have 

 the principal nurserips of the United States, 

 been laid under contribution for their choicest 

 varieties, but those of France, Germany, and 

 England have also contributed to make his 

 assortment complete. In one field we wore 

 shown 140 standard pear trees of various sorts, 

 many of them in a bearing state. Some of 

 the apple trees we should judge, would pro- 

 duce the present year four or five barrels 

 each. Some of the Baldwins presented as 

 beautiful a sight as any thing of^ the sort we 

 have ever seen, loaded with their showy fruit 

 60 heavily, Uiat it had been necessary to prop 



