What is this cookbook symbol?

I'm tying a cookbook for a church fundraiser. I can't get in touch with the woman that gave me this recipe. I will go ahead and give you all the recipe just for helping me out. It is for chocolate chess pie. The first ingredient says 1/4 # er, 1 1/2 c sugar, 3 T cocoa, 2 eggs, 1 5oz evap milk and 1 frozen crust. Cream er and eggs together and add sugar, milk and cocoa. Pour into crust and bake at 325 for 25-30 min until set. So what does the # by 1/4 # mean on the er? Is it pounds? Because another recipe she gave me for a sugar free apple pie said 3 # apples. That's not 3 pounds of apples for a pie you put into 2 crusts is it? It just sounds like a lot of er and lot of apples. Thanks for your help. If you want that sugar free apple pie recipe i'll give that to you too!!!