Talk:Perch (area)

Question:
If perch can be both area and length, even though the length is nominally the equal of a rod (in most cases), why isn't that put here, clearly, instead of redirecting directly to rod where perch is an addendum? In attempting to flesh out this stub before I noticed that Perch, length was already a separate link, I had put down: ''Perch as a lineal measure is in many but not all cases the same as a rod or rood. While the rod as a survey measure was standardized by Edmund Gunter in 1607 as 1/4 of a surveyors chain, or 16 1/2 feet (5 1/2 yards) in length, in the 13th century perches were recorded in lengths of 18, 20, 22 and 24 feet; and even as late as 1820, a House of Commons report notes lengths of 16.5, 18, 21, 24, and even 25 feet.'' Clearly, the perch was the more informal, local or regional unit of measure, and was not "the same as the rod". Source: http://www.sizes.com/units/acre.htm, and their reference source: United Kingdom. House of Commons Report (Second) of Commissioners to Consider the Subject of Weights and Measures, 13 July 1820. Parliamentary Papers 1820. (HC314) Pages 473-512.

This also looks to be a valuable resource, but I'd have to get to a library to access it: http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0435-3684%281982%2964%3A1%3C41%3ATMFOSW%3E2.0.CO%3B2-Y&size=LARGE&origin=JSTOR-enlargePage

I know, it needs more research and sources too. Andy N. (talk) 17:24, 5 March 2008 (UTC)