The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1872-04-05
MEASURING LAND,

The most convenient measure is
made in the form of the letter A, with
the feet four feet one inch and half
apart, firmly fixed at this exact dis
lance, with one side running up above
the fixed joint high enough for a
handle.
Sixteen strides of this instrument
make one length of Gunter's chain. If
the land is in the form of triangle,
measure along one side by letting the
instrument turn in the hand, while one
foot remains fixed to the ground and
the other is whirled by an outward mo-
ton until in straight line with the
one on the ground and the side to be
measured, when it becomes fixed and
the first is whirled around.
Then measure perpendicular from
the opposite angle of the field to the
side Just measured. Divide the num-
Der of strides in each by 16, and that
will give chains and sixteenths of
chains. Multiply these together and
divide the product by two, and cut off
the right hand figure of whole num-
bers; this will give acres and tenths of
acres. If the piece has four sides and
two of these parallel, measure the two
parallel sides as before, add their length
in chains, multiply sum by peperndicu-
lar between the parallel sides, divide
by two and cut off the right hand figure
as before, and tie result will be acres
and tenths of acres.
If the piece has four sides but none
are parallel, measure the diagonal line,
Chat is the line from opposite corners,)
and perpendicular from each of the
opposite angles to this line, find area
as for triangle on each side of diagonal
and add results together for whole area.
Fifty strides of this measure will be
one foot less than the side of an acre.
Fifty by twenty-five strides will make
half an acre very nearly; twenty-five
by twenty five strides will make quar-
ter of an acre very nearly.
PLOwING-LAYING OFF ROWS.
An average horse or mule will run off
twice as many acres in an average days
work, as there are feet between the
rows: For example: If the rows are
two feet apart. then four acres per day
is the task. If three feet apart, then
six acres per day, &c. OF course there
will be several modifying circumstan-
ces, such as may result from the spirit
and condition of the horse or mule,
and the quick or sluggish motion of
the plowman, and the condition of the
land. But with an average horse or
mule, average hand, and land in aver
age condition, it will be found to be
correct.
GAUGrSG.
Many rules have been given for gaug-
ing a crib of corn in the ear, but this
one has been tested sufficiently to make
it reliable and fair both for buyer and
seller. .t-s ..... .....
Measure length, breadth and depth
of crib Gnside measure) in feet and
tenths of feet. Multiply the three
dimensions together. The result will
be cubic feet and decimals of foot.
Multiply this result by four, and cut
off the right hand figure of whole num-
bers, and this will give bushels and
tenths of bushels of shelled corn. If
the corn is put up in the shuck after
being carefully "slipped shucked" in
the field, it is usual to take off one
third of the measurement for shuck.
This, however, is uncertain. Better
fill box of known dimensions, shake
well, shuck, shell and measure, and
divide cubic feet in crib by cubic feet
in box. and then multiply quotient by
bushels and tenths of bushels in box.
Ordinarily seventy pounds of corn in
the ear will shell out fifty-siX pounds
or one bushel.
A box seventeen and a half inches
square at the bottom, and seven inches
deep, will hold very nearly bushel.
A basket twelve inches in diameter
at the bottom, and nine and half
inches high, will hold half bushel.
A basket sixteen inches in diameter
at the bottom, and sixteen and half
inches high, will hold one bushel.