207 OBSERVATIONS ON THE FOREGOING MEASURES. ON THE MEASURES OF LONGITUDE. When these are compared with the Portuguese measures, it must be observed, that the yard (vara) of Buenos Ayres is equal to -0.7936 of the Portuguese vara; or that 100 varas of Portugal make 126 of ours. From the table it is deduced, that the league of Buenos Ayres is somewhat less than the marine league, 20 in a degree. The Spanish league exceeds the marine league by 16 varas; so that it is equal to three English miles. The French league is equivalent to 14 marine league. On Superficial or Land Measurements. 10,000 square varas of Buenos Ayres, which is the number composing a square of a hundred yards each side, are equivalent to the following foreign squares: 7528. 9 square metres equal to 75 square varas. 10753. 7 square varas of Castile. 9063. O square yards English. It is also worthy of remark, that a square allotment (manzana) of the city, which is a square of 140 varas on each side, contains nearly 3 arpents of France, 2 fanegas of Spanish land, and 32 acres of England. EXPLANATION OF THE TABLES. Longitudinal or Lineal Measures. The fundamental measure of length is the vara, which is divided into three thirds, or feet, or into four-fourths, each third into 12 inches, and each fourth into 9. The square (cuadra) consists of 150 varas, of which 140 are allowed for the frontage of a square allotment (manzana), and 5 for the width of the street. According to the new regulation, the streets must have four varas more of width, and in that case the manzana remains with 136 varas of frontage. The measure of length of the country is a league, which has 40 squares, or 6,000 varas, and is divided into halves or quarters of a league. The league which is used in the country to mark the distances simply for the sight, is less than the real one. This is undoubtedly occasioned by the only natural term of comparison which exists, being the length of a square (cuadra), of the city, taken in the frontage of a manzana; whence it results that the league marked out in that manner is less by 400 varas than the real one. SUPERFICIAL, OR LAND MEASUREMENTS. The measurements for the areas in the city are the quarter (cuarto) of land, and the manzana ; which, as has been mentioned before, is a square of 140 varas of frontage: the quarter of land is a rectangle of 17 varas of frontage, and 70 of depth. If, through the opposite sides of a manzana, a line be conceived which divides it into two equal rectangles, and each of those be divided into 8 equal rectangles by lines perpendicular from the first, the manzana will be thus divided into 16 quarters of land, each of which may be divided into half-quarters. It is necessary to distinguish the manzana cuadrada from the cuadra cuadrada. The first is a square of 140 varas on each side, and the second one of 150. This difference is material in the valuation of the lands which compose great allotments, which ought to be reckoned as manzanas and not as cuadras, leaving the space which will afterwards be occupied by the streets. In the towns recently built in the country parts of this province, the cuadras are less. In the district of Quilmes they have 100 varas a-side, and 25 for the street. Henceforward, according to the regulations in the Official Register, No. 20, vol. 1st, each cuadra must consist of 100 varas, with 16 for the street. In the country it is customary to divide the grounds into rectangles, which are called farming lots, suertes de chacra, and lots for the breeding P of cattle, suertes de estancia. Each suerte de chacra, or lot of land destined for farming, contains a certain number of cuadras of frontage on a given depth. The primitive division was 2 cuadras of frontage, and a league of depth. The suertes de chacra of the Quilmes are squares of four varas of frontage, and with reference and conformably to them the areas in the table have been calculated. The suertes de estancia, or lots of land destined for the breeding of cattle, are usually computed by the rectangles of half a league of frontage, and one and a half of depth. Such was the primitive division. MEASURES OF CAPACITY. For grain the cuartilla is used, which is a shortened rectangular prism. The cuartilla is made level at the top by running a flat surface over it (rayada), when wheat, barley, salt, &c. are measured; and when maize, coal, &c. &c. are measured, it is heaped up (colmada). The measures of capacity for liquids are the frasco, half frasco, and when they are sold retail, the fourth and eighth of a frasco; and the barrel, when sold wholesale. Measurement for the Materials of Masonry, Carpenters' Work, and other similar objects. In masons' work, the objects which are valued by measures of extension, and have no determinate measures, are bricks dried in the sun (adobe), and roof-tiles (teja), which are sold by thousands; sand, earth, &c. which are sold by cart-loads. In carpenters' work, the wood for making windows and doors (las alfagias), scantling timber (los tirantes), planks, and boards, (palmas y tablas) are sold by varas of length, taken on the other indeterminate measures. Amongst the timber, as well what is cut in the province, as that which comes from abroad, pieces are brought prepared in the rough state for building carts; and their dimensions are determined, although in a rude way, according to the size of the cart, for the construction of which they are destined. The pieces which generally come prepared are wheel naves, fellies, spokes, and axle-trees, the dimensions of which vary according to the resistance of the timber. are usually made of guava wood, orange wood, willow, fig-tree, &c.; and so are the shafts, the pole, and the yoke. These As little are there determinate measures for the timbers for outbuildings. The essential pieces of such habitations are the main beams, the upper |