A method of determining the rate of flow of a flowable material, particulate or liquid, through a flowable material passageway, comprising causing the material passing through the passageway to move downwardly by gravity slowing the downward movement of material as compared to free falling gravitational movement measuring the weight of material passing slowly downwardly with respect to the passageway; causing an electronic signal to be generated in response to the magnitude of the weight measuring; and connecting the electronic signal to a read out display to reflect the flow rate of material with respect to units of weight with respect to units of time.