Domestic science (1914 text-book)

In states allowing commodities to be sold by measure, small dry substances such as peas, beans, and seeds are sold by stricken measure; i.e., the container is made level full. Larger substances such as potatoes, beets, carrots, and apples are sold by heaped measure. The heaped measure should hold about one-fourth more than the same article in stricken measure. It is because there is no accurate method of determining whether the measure of potatoes, for instance, has been heaped enough 181 Digitized by Google 182 DOMESTIC SCIENCE to make a standard bushel of potatoes weighing 60 lb., that the sale by measure is discontinued in many states. A standard U. S. bushel should contain 2150.42 cubic inches; one peck should contain one-fourth of this number of cubic inches. The quart for measuring dry substances should con- FiG. 80 A Stricken Bushel (Beans) A Heaped Bushel (Onions) tain one thirty-second of the number of cubic inches in a bushel. The liquid quart, which is one-fourth of a gallon of 231 cubic inches, should not be used in measuring dry articles. The dry quart contains 67.2 cu. in. The liquid quart contains 57.75 cu. in. The dry quart is larger by 9.45 cu. in. It is evidently a fraud on the purchaser to sell him peas, beans, berries, etc., measuring them by the liquid quart. Berry boxes should be measured on the inside and the three dimensions multiplied together to see if they contain the re- quired number of cubic inches. The bottoms of berry boxes are raised not for the purpose of defrauding the customer, but Digitized by Google MARKETING 183 that the berries may not be crushed when the boxes are put one on top of another. In order that dry measures may hold the amount that their cubical contents would indicate they must be of regulation size. A tall slim container would not hold a bushel even though it contained 2150.42 cubic inches. On that account the law provides that the inside dimensions of standard bushel basket must be as follows: Diameter at top 17 inches Diameter at bottom 16 inches Depth lOyV inches Smaller standard measures of dry articles should be cylin- drical in shape, and of the following dimensions: 1 pint 1 quart i peck 1 peck ^ bushel Fruits and vegetables: The family table should be supplied with a good variety of fruits and vegetables all the year round. Rapid transportation has made it possible to have fruits and vegetables that are *'out of season" as far as the locality where they are bought is con- cerned, at a very slight advance in price on the home-grown product in season. Modern methods of canning also enable one to have canned vegetables and fruits that in many respects equal the fresh products. Peas: Peas are very valuable as a food chiefly because of the large amount of protein that they contain. They are used in America either fresh as taken from the pod, canned, or dried. In Europe a variety of pea is grown that has an edible pod and large quantities are used as we use stringed beans. The fresh Diameter Height 4 inches ' 2f inches 5f inches 2\i inches 8^ inches 4f inches 10| inches 5f inches 13f inches 7^ inches Digitized by Google 184 DOMESTIC SCIENCE peas as they are shelled from the pod, if they are young and tender, make a most delicious dish. When the peas get large and hard they are considered less desirable, although the older they become the greater is their food value.