377 



Size of Casks. 



The size of casks used for shipping wine differs according to 

 the different producing countries, thus : 



Extreme size. Contents. 



Port wine pipe ...... 58in. x 34in. ... 113 gallons 



hogshead . . . 37in. x 30in. ... 56 gallons 



Sherry butt ...... 50in. x 35in. ... 108 gallons 



hogshead ...... 38in. x 28in. . . . 54| gallons 



Marsala pipe ...... 65in. x 32in. ... 91 gallons 



hogshead ... ... 41in. x 25in. . . . 45 gallons 



Brandy pipe ... ... 52in. x 34in. ... 104 gallons 



hogshead ...... 40in. x 28in. ... 57i gallons 



Bum puncheon ...... 42in. x 36in. ... 91 gallons 



Claret hogshead ...... 36in. x 34in. ... 50 gallons 



The larger storage casks somewhat vary in shape and size, 

 but for the guidance of those about to enlarge their cellars or build 

 new ones, I give here the extreme sizes of some useful casks made 

 from Memel oak : 



Thickness of 



Capacity. Wood. Dimensions. 



head. staves. 



300 gallons ... lin. x l^in. ... 5ft. lOin. x 4ft. 9in. 



500 ... Hin. x l^in. ... 5ft. lOin. x 5ft. 6in. 



750 ... 2in. x 2in. ... 5ft. lOin. x 6ft. 



1000 ... 2^in. x 2in. ... 5ft. lOin. x 7ft. 2in. 



Besides these casks, known as " round " casks, it is often found 

 expedient to store wine in " oval " casks, which economises storage 

 room. The dimensions of these vessels are as follow : 



750 gallons .,. 2in. x 2in. ... 5ft. lOin. x 5ft. 6in. x 6ft. 9in. 

 1000 ... 2iin. x 2in. ... 5ft. lOin. x 5ft. 9in. x 8ft. 6in, 



Theoretically, the square casks, viz., the casks with the diameter 

 at the bulge equivalent to the length of the cask, is the strongest, as 

 if too high, as is the case in oval casks, the greater pressure some- 

 times causes wine to leak at the cross groove. 



Gauging Casks. 



is the process of mensuration for finding the quantity of liquid any 

 vessel is capable of holding, and also for finding its actual contents 

 when partly full. 



Several methods are used which, in practice, are found 

 sufficiently correct. 



RULE. To find the capacity of a cask in gallons : Add T 7 ^ (if 

 the difference is very small add instead of *7), the difference of 

 the head and bung diameter to the head diameter ; multiply the 

 square of the sum bV the length (all in inches) ; multiply the 

 product for U.S. gallons by "0034, for Imperial gallons by '0028. 



