The Greeley tribune., 1905-10-26
NATURAL MEASURES.
BONE PERSONAL SUBSTITUTES FOR
THE FOOT RULE
Accurately Compile Your own Table
Memorixc 1t and Then Observe
How Frequently II Will Prove OF
Valuable Service to You.

When the dressmaker wishes to es-
innate the number of yards in the
piece Of cloth furnished she will. four
times out OF five, measure 1t swiftly
between her chin and her outstretched
hand, or If 1t is q matter OF inches,
she will fold the Blended upper joint
Of her thumb along the cloth.
She calls the one measure yard
and the other an inch. and the estimate
y usually close enough TO serve her
purpose, although there are inches OF
difference in the length OF arms, and a
alight turn of the head will cause still
greater error.
Since these methods have proved
themselves so useful in spite of their
inaccuracy, it is easy to see how valu-
able some similar measures which
can be depended on would become.
The Individual must necessarily be
the first consideration. 1t is hardly
within the bounds Of possibility to find
two persons Identical in those dimen-
sions Of which use can be made. Thus
each must establish his own table OF
measures.
to tip of middle fnger-is one Of the
most practicable of the natural meas
ures This is the cublt of Scripture.
Set the point of the bent elbow in the
corner of the wall. Holding it firmly
there, straighten the forearm and I'm
gers, mark the point reached by the
middle digit and measure carefully the
distance to the wall. A man Is likely
to find this measure about twenty
inches, woman about sixteen.
For making q quick measurement of
the side of a room, the length of
wood pile. and 10 forth, this idea has
some very useful qualities.
Take the foot rule now and spread,
or rather span, the hand to its utmost
upon it There is sure to be a differ
ence between the right and left. so
use always the same hand. or have
separate measure for each.
If extended rigidly to its utmost each
time the inches "spanned" will be
practically fixed quantity. Note the
measurement carefully, as before. 1t
Is most likely to be for an adult from
seven and one-half to nine inches.
measure than that of the forearm since
1t can be conveniently applied either
horizontally or vertically and at any
point where the hand can reach.
The "hand" of four inches used in
the measurement Of horses Is Of course
derived from the breadth Of the palm.
But this has become so firmly fixed liz
tts one use that it may as we'll be omit
ted here. The measure of thumb and
palm Is, however, worth consideration
The measurement from the opposite
edge of the palm to the end Of the ex-
tended thumb Is very nearly six inches
and is therefore convenient unit
These measures need. of course, to be
supplemented by shorter one, and
here is the opportunity of our old
friend the thumb joint. Bend the
thumb sharply and measure on the
back from the point of the knuckle.
over the nail, to the end Of the feshy
ball of the thumb.
The resulting unit" is likely to vary
from seven-eighths Of an inch to one
and one-half inches. If the measure
ment does not come out" In even
instead. 1t will be as reliable and al
most as convenient
Everybody knows, or should know,
his own height with sufficient exact
ness, but a still more useful piece of
knowledge is the height Of the eyes.
This is, as rule, about four and one
quarter inches less than the total
height But do not accept this sub
traction for the new table; measure
When one is standing erect, with the
fnce close to the wall, 1t is easy to
mark the exact point in front OF ones
eyes when they are looking straight
ahead. This measure will vary to a
trifing extent with the changing thick
ness Of boot soles, and so forth, but
such an error rarely rises above one
sixteenth of an inch In the foot.
The measure Of ones outstretched
manufacturing and ending with the
tip of the middle flngers-is another
valuable thing to know. The familiar
theory that this "span" is the same Us
the height is not correct enough to be
depended upon for purposes Of meas
urement
A much used natural measure is the
pace. Probably everybody who has
much to do with land is accustomed to
employ it. The usual way is to stride
on. taking as long steps as possible
and calling" each pace yard. A FAR
better way Is to measure the natural
step and continue to walk with It,
Take twenty or thirty ordinary walk
ing steps on level ground, measure the
distance and secure the average length.
When the table Of natural measures
is fully compiled 1t will be somewhat
like this:
Thumb and palm northumberland inches
Hand span ..........9 inches
cOfeafIn ~ lncheS
Stretch ofarms -...............6 feet inch
Height ..........................6 feet y inch
Height Of eyes ...............5 feet 8 inches
race -....--................... .......O inches