National and Editcational Interests. 



81 



quart contains Sl^A cu bic inches, while the dry quart con- 

 tains 671. Many local organizations have attempted to in- 

 augurate uniformity in the berry quart, and have always 

 in their first efforts, so far as the writer is aware, recom- 

 mended the use of the full or dry quart ; but some have 

 abandoned their efforts, and at least one has become so far 

 discouraged as to adopt wine measure, for its "efforts to ob- 

 tain uniformity on the dry measure box have been a failure." 

 There are a number of difficulties attending the adoption of 

 uniform quarts. The greatest perplexity comes from the 

 settling of berries in shipment. If the box is designed to 

 hold a full quart when level full, the berries will need to be 

 heaped to provide for settling. In this case the grower gives 

 the market more than he is required to give. It is therefore 

 urged that the wine or "snide" quart is the fairer one, for 

 when heaped it holds about a full quart. This may be true 

 when long shipments are made, but those within easy reach of 

 market do not need to heap their boxes to any extent, and 

 these persons therefore sell under measure. And the mere 

 fact that boxes of different sizes are in the market, often 

 standing side by side, fosters an unpleasant impression in the 

 mind of the customer. The remedy for this evil, and of nu- 

 merous others, of which this may serve as a type, is the 

 measuring of shrinkable produce by weight. The customs 

 in the Pacific States can be profitably studied in this connec- 

 tion. 



The whole subject of weights and measures in reference 

 to produce needs correction by Congress. Movements have 

 already been made in this direction. The New Jersey State 

 Board of Agriculture recently sent a committee to Wash- 

 ington, for the purpose of investigating the question of a 

 national standard, under the leadership of the late Dr. George 

 H. Cook. Dr. Cook reported that he "was surprised to 

 find that there had been no legislation whatever on the ques- 

 tion by our general government." In certain cases, Con- 

 gress has fixed the weights of produce. "For instance, the 

 customs-revenue officers, in fixing the amount of duties upon 

 imported grain, are directed to allow 60 pounds per bushel 

 for wheat, 56 for corn and rye, 48 for barley, 32 for oats, 60 

 for peas and 42 for buckwheat."* Certain federal officers 



*J. R. Dodge, Rep. Com. Agr. 1877, 197. 



