Popular Science Monthly 



145 



In case potatoes are dropped or upset by 

 the runner he must replace them without 

 assistance before proceeding with the run. 

 He must not interfere with another runner 

 in any way. The boxes may be fixed to 

 stands, having their bases approximately 

 the same size as the boxes. The stands are 

 not fastened to the floor. 



The various distances and number of 

 potatoes are : 



60 yards potato race requires 3 potatoes 



160 " " " " 8 



220 " " " " ir " 



440 " " " " 17 



There are two styles in running the 

 potato races. Some runners keep a steady 

 pace and run in large circles. Others run 

 in a narrow oblong that necessitates slack- 

 ing the speed on the turns. The latter is 

 more generally used but is thought to be 

 more exhausting than the former. 



In making the turns, the runner should 

 face the box and bend well over it, if the 

 narrow oblong style is used. In this it is 

 also well to give attention to the striding. 

 If, as usual, the run is made from right to 

 left, as in track running, the turn should 

 be made with three steps as follows: the 

 left foot should be at the side of the box, 

 then the right should be placed at the end 

 of the box and then the left started on the 

 new stretch. 



{To be continued) 



Saving Concrete in Setting 

 Posts in Holes 



Sticky Fly Paper Used to Keep 

 Insects Away from Poultry 



TO keep insects away from fowl in a 

 poultry house sticky fly paper may 

 be used with good results. It is placed 

 sticky side down on the upright parts 

 holding the roosts, which rest on the paper. 

 Do not allow the paper to touch the sides 

 of the building in any place. It is also 

 a help to keep the roosts and parts well 

 greased with some thick grease well rubbed 

 in to fill all the cracks. If there are any 

 night prowling insects in the coop a fair 

 sample of them will be found stuck to the 

 paper in the morning. 



Large poultry houses should have metal 

 supports for roosts, with grooves for the 

 ends of the roosts to rest in without fasten- 

 ing. Raise the end of such a roost and put 

 a small piece of fly paper under it, sticky 

 side down. Be careful that the edge of 

 the paper does not stick against the 

 support. — Paul Greer. 



THE ordinary method of setting a post in 

 concrete is to set the post into the hole 

 and fill in around with concrete. This is 

 wasteful and 

 does not reach 

 the highest effi- 

 ciency. 



A square hole 

 should be dug 

 so that the con- 

 crete will have 

 square corners. 

 After placing 

 the post in posi- 

 tion the concrete 

 s ho u 1 d b e 

 poured in until 

 the hole is about 

 one-fifth filled. 

 The concrete is 

 marked A in 

 the drawing. 

 The hole is par- 

 tially filled with 

 wet earth, here 

 marked B, leav- 



The part of the hole be- in & r ° om for 

 tween blocks filled in with dirt m <>re concrete. 

 The upper con- 

 crete block should be about 50 percent 

 larger than the lower block to offset any 

 difference in the hardness of the ground. 

 There is practically no strain exerted 

 against the ground between the two con- 

 crete blocks. — Robert W. Phelps. 



Waterproofing Blue Prints and 

 Drawings for Rough Handling 



WHEN blue prints are handled to a 

 great extent or when it is necessary 

 to use them outdoors, as in construction 

 work, they often become spotted by water 

 or soiled; which makes the prints difficult 

 to read. Waterproofing them protects 

 them from the water, and makes it possible 

 to wash them off when they become soiled. 

 The waterproofing can be accomplished by 

 dipping the prints in melted paraffin wax 

 and hanging them by the corner to drain. 

 Another method, not so clumsy, is to 

 immerse heavy blotting paper in the wax 

 and when cold lay the print between two 

 of the sheets and pass a hot iron over them. 

 These processes are applicable to all kinds 

 of papers. — Thomas W. Benson. . 



