This section is from the book "A Manual Of Home-Making", by Martha Van Rensselaer. Also available from Amazon: A Manual of Home-Making.
Most commodities are sold by the pound. The tendency is to increase the number thus sold, since the pound is an exact measure, whereas the bunch or basket or other container is too often unstandardized. (See Tables XXIV and XXV.)
State
Unit | |
Asparagus.................... | Bunch varies from 1/2 to 2 1/2 pounds |
Beans, string.................. | Pound; 25-pound hamper |
Beans, lima................... | Pound in pod; quarts when shelled |
Beets........................ | Pound; bunch |
Brussels sprouts............... | Quart |
Cabbage...................... | Pound |
Cabbage, Chinese.............. | Pound |
Cauliflower................... | Pound; crate; hamper |
Carrots....................... | Pound; bunch |
Celery........................ | Bunch, 12 stalks in a bunch |
Corn......................... | Dozen ears |
Cress......................... | Pound |
Cucumbers................... | Piece; dozen; hamper |
Eggplant..................... | Piece; crate; hamper |
Horse-radish root.............. | Pound |
Kale......................... | Pound |
Kohlrabi..................... | Pound |
Leeks........................ | Pound |
Lettuce...................... | Head; dozen heads |
Mushrooms................... | Pound |
Onions....................... | Pound |
Parsley....................... | Bunch; dozen bunches |
Parsnips...................... | Pound |
Peas......................... | Bushel measure |
Peppers...................... | Piece; dozen; barrel |
Potatoes...................... | Pound |
Pumpkin..................... | Piece |
Radishes..................... | Bunch; dozen bunches |
Romaine..................... | Pound |
Squash....................... | Pound |
Tomatoes..................... | Pound; standard 1/2 bushel crate |
Turnips...................... | Pound |
Salsify (vegetable oyster)....... | Bunch; dozen bunches |
Unit | |
Apples..................... | Pound; standard barrel (3 bushels) |
Apricots................... | California crate, 22 pounds |
Bananas................... | Pound |
Berries.................... | Quart; crate of 32 quarts |
Cantaloupes................ | Pound; crate according to size |
Cranberries................ | Pound; 100 pounds in a barrel |
Grape fruit............. | Piece; box of from 46 to 96 grapefruit |
Grapes.................... | Pound |
Lemons.................... | Dozen; box of from 300 to 360 lemons |
Oranges.................... | Dozen; box of from 96 to 250 oranges |
Peaches.................... | Pound; standard 1/2 bushel peach basket |
Pears...................... | Pound |
Pineapples................ | Piece; case |
Plums.................... | Standard 1/2 bushel basket |
Quinces................... | By measure |
Rhubarb................... | Pound |
Watermelon................ | Piece |
 
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