MEASURING HAYSTACKS.

Putaruru Press, Volume VII, Issue 273, 31 January 1929, Page 6

MEASURING HAYSTACKS.

The process of measuring and estimating the contents and weight of a haystack are simple arithmetical operations. In the case of the former the rule is: Multiply (in feet) the length by the breadth, and by the sum of the height from the ground to the eaves and one-third of the height from the eaves to the peak. Example: Breadth 20 ft, length 25ft; height to eaves 10ft, eaves to peak 3ft—2o by 25 by 11 (one-third of 3 plus 10) equals 550 cubic feet. The finding of the weight of the stack depends upon the number of

cubic feet by which to divide in order to arrive at the number of tons. The right figures to divide by are 250 for sheafed hay of good quality, well Traded, and not too long in the stem. If the sheafed hay is long and thick in the stem, and not so well headed, the number of cubic feet to the ton will vary from 250 to 300, the time the stack has been up, of course, and the solidity being elements in the calculation; but the figures do not in, any case exceed 300. For loose hay, on the other hand—that is, hay mown and cocked in the field—it takes a larger number of cubic feet to make a ton. If this class of hay is very good—that is, cut green with a good head and not too coarse— 3so cubic feet to the ton is a fair division—but if it is very coarse and fluffy, and has not been long in the stack, it will take 400 • cubic feet to weigh a ton. Even in this case, however, 400 is the extreme division.