Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1910-01-27
In a Stack, Either Of Loose or
Bundle Hay?
Who HAS A BETTER RULE
Discussion on This Subject
Invited by those Interested

A controversy which arose some
time ago between two prominent
Camas Prairie ranchers has interested
the Free Press in a question of con-
siderable Importance, not only to
ranchers, but to livery men, and to
every man who owns horse or buys
or sells ton of hay in a season. And
the question is, "How much hay is
there in stack?" What is the prop
er and correct way to measure and
figure the number Of tons of hay in
tstack, either of loose hay or bundle
hay?
Investigating the subject our repres-
entative was surprised to learn that no
less than eight methods of figuring
hay were in use on the Prairie. As
no two methods give the same results
it was naturally evident that seven of
them must be wrong.
i After cudgelling the editorial brain
in vain endeavor to pick the correct
rule out of the bunch, we submitted
the matter to the Bales-Jo ones Com
pany, believing that firm of that
caliber would spend time and money
to find rule that would be exact,
would fit every case, and would stand
proof. We print the article submitted
by their bookkeeping department with
view to inviting discussion on the
subject, and would be glad to have
any interested ranchers, stock men or
livery men give us their opinion for
publication.
Bales-Jone Company.
Grangeville, Idaho, Jan. 81, 1910.
Idaho County Free Press,
Grangeville, Idaho
Gentlemen:
In response to your request as to
e the different methods of measuring
: hay in stack, we are very glad to Of
: fer our opinion on the subject; we APP
t preciate the effort of the Free Press to
locate and establish rule that will be
t exact, and one that will be accepted
e by the people of this section as gen.
i eral rule for buying and selling.
e 1t is generally understood that a
n ton of loose hay will measure 8 feet
a long, feet wide and s feet high and
i will contain 512 cubic feet Bundle
hay will run by by Z, or 343 cubic
: feet. This is a universal rule, and
there is seldom or never any dispute
3 in regard to it. Therefore the only
question is to find the number of cubic
feet in stack, and divide by 512 for
e loose hay or by 343 for bundle hay.
If hay were stacked as cord of
wood is piled any school boy could
figure the cubic contents of stack,
y by simply multiplying the length by
g the width by the height A cord Of
wood is 8 feet long, feet wide and 4
2 feet high and contains 1913 cubic feet.
e But the shape of a stack of hay
e makes it necessary to use different
and more complicated style Of figuring.
n The measurements usually taken are
e as follows: The length, the width,
e and the over, or the distance from the
< ground on one side of the stack over
0 the top and down to the ground on
: the opposite side.
e To get the cubic contents Of a stack
q eight methods are in use; of these
methods two are simply guess-work,
S based on the height Of the stack, and
y need not be considered. Three others
t are only variations of the three prin-
= cipal rules, which are as follows:
:. Rule No. Add the width to the
0 over, divide by 4; multiply the result
t by itself, then multiply by the length
is of stack.
n Rule NJ. 2-Take one-third of tn,
y over, and multiply by the length BY
e the width.
Rule No 3-Subtract the widtl
from the over, divide by 2, and multi
il ply by the length by the width.
e For example, let us take a stack c
J. hay, II feet wide, "a feet over and 3
feet long, and apply these three rules
4 No. Width II, over "a. tota
V 36. Divide by equals 8. 8 time
le 8 is 81, multiplied by the length, B
feet, gives 2511 cubic feet in til
IN stack.
tfl No 2-Over "a feet One-third {