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Show BOYS' HANDICRAFT By A. NEELY HALL Author of "Handicraft for Handy oy" and "The Boy Craftsman" LEAN-TO 'iXi'' "" -FIG.3- Tent- " -"SAS -A Comfortable Camp-Cot- FOR THE SUMMER CAMP. Perhaps you won't have a chance to go away from the city this summer, sum-mer, but that is no reason why you cannot camp out, just the same. It doesn't require a very large piece of ground on which to pitch a' tent, you know, and if you haven't a back yard, there is probably a vacant lot nearby in which you can pitch it. Lots of boys seem to think that it isn't any fun to camp out near the home, but that Is a mistaken Idea. Such a trip should be just as carefully planned .as one to the woods, with all of the necessary provisions provided that ivill be required for a week, 10 days, or whatever length of time you plan to stay; then you can feel just as dependent de-pendent upon yourself for existence as though you were many miles from civilization. At the same time, if anything any-thing unexpected turns up, you will have the advantage of having assistance as-sistance near at hand. A home camp Is a splendid place for the tenderfoot to learn cooking, and will in many ways prepare him for later experiences. experi-ences. The suggestions shown in the Illustrations Illus-trations should be found helpful in either the home camp, or a camp in the woods or at the lake. A wall tent is probably the most commonly used form of tent, and one of these 8 feet by 10 feet in size can be purchased in most localities for about ?S; but when a boy's spending money is limited this is a good deal for him to pay out for a single piece of equipment. Fig. 1 shows a makeshift make-shift for a small wall tent that will serve as a good shelter. Canvas or burlap can be used for the cloth material; ma-terial; or, if you are going to camp In the back yard, where you can take chances on the weather, old sheeting can be used. You might not think that burlap would shed the water, on account of it being so loosely woven but it will and has been used to great satisfaction. If you can get some potato sacks, they can be used In a pinch. Split them open, and sew them together in as large a piece as is required re-quired for the covering. Fig. 2 shows how four stakes are driven into the ground at the four corners of the space marked out for the tent,- and two poles nailed across the tops, to support the walls. Then a strip of canvas or burlap is tacked to the two sides and one end of this framework, as shown in Fig. 3. The upper portion of the tent may be supported at the ridge either on a ridge-pole, or on a rope stretched between two trees. (Of course clothes-posts may be used for the vertical ver-tical supports, if you pitch your tent in the back yard). Tack the lower side edges of the covering to the side poles of the wall framework. The back end of the tent may be enclosed en-closed with one piece of cloth, sewed to the upper covering and the lower wall strip, while the front should be made in two pieces and be parted in the middle. The wall framework should be braced at the corners with ropes fastened to the framework and to stakes driven Into the ground, as shown In Fig. 1. Fig. 4 shows a simple lean-to tent, with a front flag that may be raised to a horizontal position as a sun shield in the day time. The Illustration Illustra-tion shows how a fire can be built In front of the open front In chilly weather, with a fire screen of green logs behind it to reflect heat into the tent. The tent may be made in three pieces one piece to form the front and pitched roof, and two triangular tri-angular end pieces. The three may be sewed together, or eyelets and tapes, or tapes alone, may be provided pro-vided for connecting the pieces. Tapes nut also be provided along the fior.l i.iul rear edge, along the center of the large piece, TBnd on the bottom edge of the end pieces, foi fastening the tent to stakes, to the ridge-pole, and to the horizontal pole on the front flap. The illustration shows how one end of the ridge-pole may be fastened to a tree, and the other in the crotch on the end of a pole driven into the ground. Of course, if you can find two trees close enough together, the ridge-pole can be fastened across them. Tie a rope to each end of the pole to which t!:e edge of the front is fastened, and extend these over to a tree trunk; or else use a couple of poles having crotches on one end to prop up the flap. If you pitch your tent in the back yard you can use clothes-poles for your tent-poles and props. After pitching your tent, be sure to dig a trench several Inches deep on all four sides, with an opening on the side where the ground is lowest, for a drain (Fig. 1). This trench will catch all surface rain water before It floods into your tent. Do not put off this trenching, for, if you are caught unprepared you surely will regret it. Maybe you have a small cot In the house which you can use in your tent; but If you are going some dis tance this will be inconvenient to carry, unless you have a team or go by train. Fig. 5 shows an adaptation of the backwoodsman's style of camp cot, which makes a very comfortable bed. Fig. 6 shows how two poles rest in the crotches of four stakes driven into the ground, to support he cot For the covering two bags of the right length and width should be made of canvas, to slip over the poles. Sew up one end of each bag, and slip them over the ends of the poles, and make the open ends meet at the center. cen-ter. Stuff the bags with hay, straw, or dried grass, spreading this out evenly, and you will have as comfortable comfort-able a mattress as you could wish for. One advantage of making bags out of the covering material is that they I may be used as duffle bags for packing pack-ing equipment to and from camp. (Copyright. 1912, by A. Neely Hall.) |