The bushel is an ancient measure of capacity, mainly used for grain and other dry products. It is a cylindrical container of wood reinforced with metal, equipped with an iron rod in the center, called a "needle", which connects to a bar placed perpendicular to the circumference called a "handle". The bushel was used until the adoption of the decimal metric system and there was a notable variety of sizes. In accordance with the places and traditions, different measures were used depending on whether the cereal was hulled (cleaned) or not, and the bushels could be filled level or full. Each district had its own reference bushel: in Ticino and Val Bregaglia, for example, variations in size have been recorded, among the bushels in use, from 14 to 30 liters. The bushel was in turn divided into 4 quarters, and the "quarter" varied regionally between 3.7 and 7.5 liters. These containers were practical and widely used in both domestic and commercial settings by various categories of people and could be used for both transporting and storing products.