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Jefferson, Thomas

"Public Papers"


6 feet a fathom,
SUPERFICIAL MEASURES.
Our measures of surface are, the acre of 4 roods and the rood
of 40 square poles; so established by a statute of 33 Edw. I. Let
them remain the same.
MEASURES OF CAPACITY.
The measures of capacity in use among us are the following
names and proportions:
The gill, four of which make a pint.
Two pints make a quart.
Two quarts a pottle.
Two pottles a gallon.
Two gallons a peck, dry measure.
Eight gallons make a measure called a firkin, in liquid
substances, and a bushel, dry.
Two firkins, or bushels, make a measure called a rundlet or
kilderkin, liquid, and a strike, dry.
Two kilderkins, or strikes, make a measure called a barrel,
liquid, and a coomb, dry; this last term being ancient and little
used.
Two barrels, or coombs, make a measure called a hogshead,
liquid, or a quarter, dry; each being the quarter of a ton.
A hogshead and a third make a tierce, or third of a ton.
Two hogsheads make a pipe, butt, or puncheon; and
Two pipes make a ton.
But no one of these measures is of a determinate capacity. The
report of the committee of 1757 - 8, shows that the gallon is of very
various content; and that being the unit, all the others must vary
with it.


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