AN OFF HAND WAY TO MEASURE AN ACRE.

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4374, 10 January 1883, Page 4

AN OFF HAND WAY TO MEASURE AN ACRE.

Few farmers know the size of their fields or how many acres they contain. A field of the writer's, before it came into possession, bad been ploughed and reaped by contract for fifteen acres. On measuring it it was found to have but twelve acres. It" is desirable, in fact, iudispensible for good work,, that a farmer should know - how many acres each field contains, for otherwise he cannot apportion seed or manure for it, nor can he tell how much time it should require to be-ploughed. A " measuring cord should be part of the furniture on every farm. To make one, procure sixty-seven feet of strong rope, one inch around ; make a loop or fasten a ring or a bar at each end, and make these pre cisely sixty-six feet apart,. This is four rods. Then tie a piece of red rag in the centre. On« acra of ground will be a piece four of the cords (ehaias) long and two and one^half wide, equal to sixteen by ten rods, making 160 square rods to one acre. The advantage of the ring or loop is that one person ccnm^asuro alone by driving a stake in the ground to hold the rope while he stretcheß'it out. The rope should be soaked in tar and dried, which will prevent it from shrinking when wet.