The supply of liquid measures should include a quart, a pint, and a half-pint measure, and a 4-ounce glass graduate subdivided to 1 dram or less for measuring small quantities of liquids and determining the errors in larger quantities. The measures should be cylindrical or conical with the top diameter smaller than the bottom, and made of metal, enamelware, composition, or similar and suitable material. They should be strong and rigid enough to withstand ordinary usage.

To test the quantity of a liquid as delivered, the following directions will be useful: Pour the liquid into the measure. If it does not fill the measure, pour it out and fill the measure with water to the same point that the purchased liquid reached. This can be done by observing the wet ring left around the measure. Then put a definite quantity of water into the graduate, and complete the filling of the measure. The difference between the quantity of liquid remaining in the graduate and the original quantity put in is the shortage. If the quantity of liquid ordered more than fills the test measure, the check for error is made on the last portion poured into the measure.

To avoid mistakes in reading cone graduates, it should be noted that these are sometimes more finely subdivided at the base than at the top.

A graduate should be held level in filling it or reading it. It should be read at the main surface of the liquid, not at the point to which the small amount of liquid creeps on the sides of the glass.