a testing volume for a micronaire measurement by containing a fiber sample within a micronaire chamber having a length and at least one movable end wall a flow is initiated along the length of the micronaire chamber the fiber sample is compressed within the micronaire chamber by advancing the movable end wall and the advancement of the movable end wall is stopped when at least one property of the flow attains a set point the position of the movable end wall defines the testing volume in this manner there is provided a convenient method of setting a testing volume and acquiring the information needed to take a micronaire measurement application_number US 61724009 A description with reference now to fig1 there is depicted a micronaire measurement system 10 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention as depicted in fig1 the sample loading mechanism 12 is in the sample reception position with the lateral plug formation member 14 and the vertical plug formation member 16 extended with the loader 12 in this position the loader 12 is adapted to receive the fiber sample 18 on which micronaire measurements are to be made the fiber sample 18 may be any one or blend of more than one fiber types but in the preferred embodiment the fiber sample 18 is cotton fiber the various elements of the loader 12 are preferably adapted so as to form the fiber sample 18 into a plug 18 that is substantially the same cross sectional shape as the micronaire chamber 28 into which the plug 18 will be loaded for measurement of the micronaire.