Bushel

a dry measure. The United States government has sent a standard set of dry measures to each state. A bushel contains four pecks or eight gallons. Abbreviation, bu. or bush. The capacity of our bushel measure is 2150.42 cubic inches. It is based on the old English Winchester bushel, so called from the fact that the ancient standard bushel measure of England was preserved in the old town hall of Winchester. It is not a scientific measure. It happens to be the volume of a cylinder 18 1/2 inches in inside measure and 8 inches in depth. It holds 77.6274 pounds of distilled water at 39.8 degree F. under 30 inches atmospheric pressure. In 1826, to correct various local bushels in use, the British Parliament adopted or legalized a standard imperial bushel which holds 80 pounds avoirdupois of distilled water at the temperature of 62 degree F. under a barometric pressure of 30 inches. Its capacity is 2,218.192 cubic inches. Americans adhere, however, to the Winchester bushel.

Where no contract exists to the contrary, a bushel by weight is required by law. As a measure of weight, the states have adopted various standards, which in the majority of cases, however, are as follows, the figures indicating the number of pounds to the bushel: