*These diameters allow for proper heaping. DRY MEASURE* 2 pints = 1 quart 8 quarts = 1 peck 4 pecks = 1 bushel 1 sack of flour = 24-1/2, 49 or 98 pounds 4 49-pound sacks of flour = 1 barrel 1 barrel of flour = usually 196 pounds 60 pounds of potatoes = usually 1 bushel *State laws differ somewhat regarding the number of pounds in a bushel of various fruits and vegetables. =292. Cubic, Square and Linear Measure.= CUBIC MEASURE 1728 cubic inches = 1 cubic foot 27 cubic feet = 1 cubic yard 128 cubic feet = 1 cord SQUARE MEASURE 144 square inches = 1 square foot 9 square feet = 1 square yard 30-1/4 square yards = 1 square rod 160 square rods = 1 acre 640 acres = 1 square mile LINEAR MEASURE 12 inches = 1 foot 3 feet = 1 yard 5280 feet = 1 mile 39.27 inches = 1 meter METRIC MEASURES Millimeter = one-thousandth (.001) meter Centimeter = one-hundredth (.01) meter Decimeter = one-tenth (.1) meter Unitemeter = 1 meter Dekameter = ten (10) meters Hectometer = one hundred (100) meters Kilometer = 1 thousand (1000) meters CHAPTER XLII GAS, WATER, AND ELECTRIC METERS =293. Different Kinds of Meters.= The housewife has need to be familiar with three kinds of meters--water, gas and electric. These are devices for measuring water, gas or electric current. =294. Construction of a Gas Meter.= The interior of one type of gas meter (Fig. 158) is somewhat like a water wheel--the pressure of the gas pushes the wheel around. Every time a compartment full of gas passes a certain point, the gas flows out and the flange on the wheel trips a lever which moves the hand of the dial ahead, thus counting the emptying of the compartment. The gas in the compartment back of this then moves to this place. The emptied compartment is filled with more gas as it passes the inlet. [Illustration: FIG. 158. Gas meter.] [Illustration: FIG. 159. Water meter.] =295. Reading the Gas Meter.= A gas meter is a device for measuring the number of cubic feet of gas which flows thru a pipe. Small dials with the numbers from one to ten and a hand for an indicator show the number of single feet, tens of feet, and thousands of feet, which have passed thru the meter. The reading on any date is the total amount of gas which has passed thru. To tell how much has passed thru the meter during any period of time, take the reading of the meter on the first date, as indicated in Fig. 158, and then take the reading on the later date and subtract reading one from reading two--the resulting figure is the amount of gas passing thru the meter between these two dates. When buying gas, always keep the readings of meters at the time when the gas man takes them. Gas meters often register more or less gas than is actually consumed. Gas companies are allowed a variation or tolerance of one per cent fast or slow, to two per cent fast or slow. Gas is paid for at a stated rate per thousand feet in most places.