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dry goods barrel

In the United States, a quantity of dry capacity defined by Congress in 1915¹ for all dry goods except cranberries, repeating the dimensions given in the definition of the apple barrel, with the addition that the staves were to be no thicker than ¼ inch. The capacity continued at 7,056 cubic inches = 105 dry quarts (approximately 115.627 liters). Any shape was acceptable, provided the capacity was 7,056 cubic inches. Third-barrels, half-barrels, and three-quarter barrels were made illegal in domestic trade.

1. March 4, 1915 c 168 § 1, 38 Stat. 1186.

§ 234. Standard barrel for fruits or other dry commodity

The standard barrel for fruits, vegetables, and other dry commodities other than cranberries shall be of the following dimensions when measured without distention of its parts: Length of stave, twenty-eight and one-half inches; diameter of heads, seventeen and one-eighth inches; distance between heads, twenty-six inches; circumference of bulge, sixty-four inches, outside measurement; and the thickness of staves not greater than four-tenths of an inch: Provided, That any barrel of a different form having the capacity of seven thousand and fifty-six cubic inches shall be a standard barrel. The standard barrel for cranberries shall be of the following dimensions when measured without distention of its parts: Length of staves, twenty-eight and one-half inches; diameter of head, sixteen and one-fourth inches; distance between heads, twenty-five and one-fourth inches; circumference of bulge, fifty-eight and one-half inches, outside measurement; and the thickness of staves not greater than four-tenths of an inch.