Rensselaer Union, Volume 10, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 August 1878 — Vexation of Different Weights. [ARTICLE]

Vexation of Different Weights.

A writer in the New England Journal of Education argues in favor of the adoption of the metric system by showing the confusion introduced in weights by the statutes of different States. He Says: People living near the boundaries of a State are constantly in trouble because of these extra laws on weights and measures. A few illustrations will suffice: Twenty-four pounds of dried apples are a bushel in Illinois, twenty-five in Indiana, twenty-eight in Michigan. Of barley—forty-six in lowa, forty-eight in Indiana. Buckwheat—fifty-two in Illinois, forty in Wisconsin, forty-J.wo in Michigan and fifty in Indiana. Broom-corn seed—forty-six in Indiana, and thirty in Ohio. Corn meal—forty-eight in Wisconsin, and fifty in Michigan. Dried peaches—twenty-three in lowa, twen-ty-eight in Wisconsin, and thirty-three in Indiana; while of dried peaches pared—forty pounds in Illinois, thirtythree in lowa, twenty-eight In Wisconsin, and thirty-six in Ohio make a bushel. Blue-grass seed—fourteen in Wisconsin, aneften in Ohio; but of clover-grass seed, sixty in Indiana and sixty-two in Ohio; , while of Hungarian grass-seed—-forty-eight in Indiana and fifty in Ohio; and of millet grass seeds—forty-five in lowa and fifty in Ohio. And the end is-not yet, for of hemp seed fofty-four pounds in Indiana and forty-two in Ohio make a bushel. Thir-ty-six pounds of malt barley in lowa, thirty-eight in Indiana and thirty-four in Onioy while of malt rye, thirty-five pounds in Illinois, thirty-four in Ohio, are a bushel. Mineral coal—forty in Illinois and seventy in Indiana. Oats—thirty-three in lowa, thirty-two in Indiana, thirtyfive in Maine and thirty in Ohio. Onions —fifty-seven in Indiana and fifty-six in Ohio; but of onion tops —twenty-eight in Indiana and twenty-five in Ohio. Sweet potatoes —fifty-four in Wisconsin, fifty in Maine, fifty-five in Ohio. Fine salt—fifty-five in Illinois, fifty-six in Indiana, fifty in Ohio. Turnips—-fifty-five in Indiana, fifty-six in Ohio. So many inconsistencies in the one matter of bushels in three or four adjoining States. A bushel of coal weighs forty pounds bn the Illinois side of the linei but hand it across that line, and it is only 40-70 of a bushel.