Bushel

A bushel is a unit used to measure volume, which is the amount of space an object occupies. It is a common part of the imperial and United States customary systems. While it began as a way to measure dry capacity, its use has changed over time. Today, the term is often used as a nominal volume. This means that for many different products, a bushel actually represents a specific mass or weight.

The mechanism of the bushel depends on whether you are measuring space or weight. In the imperial system used in the United Kingdom, the bushel is a fixed volume. It is defined as the volume of 80 avoirdupois pounds of distilled water in air at a specific temperature. This volume is exactly 8 imperial gallons. Because of this definition, there is no distinction between liquid and dry measures in the imperial system. In contrast, the modern US bushel is defined by a specific volume of 2150.42 cubic inches.

There are several distinct types of bushels used throughout history and different regions. One notable version is the Winchester bushel. This is the volume of a cylinder with a diameter of 18.5 inches and a height of 8 inches. This calculation results in an irrational number of approximately 2150.4202 cubic inches. Another historical version was the English willow basket. These baskets had a base diameter of 12 inches, a top diameter of 18 inches, and a height of 12 inches. This gave them a volume of 2120.58 cubic inches.

The history of the bushel is tied to English law and the Norman Conquest. The bushel served as an intermediate value between the pound and the ton or tun. After the conquest, Norman statutes made the London bushel a legal measure for wine, ale, and grains. King Henry III is credited with the Assize of Bread and Ale, which defined the bushel using the wine gallon. Later, the Assize of Weights and Measures defined it using the larger corn gallon. In the Middle Ages, a London bushel was reckoned to contain 64 pounds, 12 ounces, 20 pennyweight, and 32 grains.

Specific numbers show how much the bushel has shifted over the centuries. When the Tower system was abolished in the 16th century, the bushel was redefined as 56 avoirdupois pounds. In the United States, the bushel is often used as a unit of mass on commodity markets. The weight assigned to a bushel depends entirely on the commodity being measured. For example, a US bushel of oats weighs 32 pounds, while barley weighs 48 pounds. Wheat and soybeans are much heavier, with both weighing 60 pounds per bushel.

Many surprising facts surround the way people have used this measurement. In the past, a basket filled level to the top was one bushel. If the contents were piled high so they overflowed, it was called a bushel and a peck. This was a generous measure, similar to a baker's dozen. This idea of abundance even entered popular culture. The 1950 song "A Bushel and a Peck" from the musical Guys and Dolls uses the phrase to mean overflowing with love.

Finally, the bushel connects to many different global measurement systems. In Germany, the bushel is known as a scheffel. A Prussian Scheffel was equal to 54.96 litres. In Poland, the bushel was a measure of dry capacity divided into four quarters. Spain also used a bushel for dry capacity, which was roughly equal to 55 litres in Castille. Even in Wales, the unit known as a hobbit was used. When used for volume, a hobbit was equivalent to two and a half bushels.