66 BULLETIN 414, V. S. DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE. 



comfort of the men. In one of the Western States it has been the 

 custom for several years past to move a camp of about 50 men 

 more than 200 miles from its base and over 100 miles from a railroad 

 in order to reach a climate sufficiently mild for the men to be em- 

 ployed during the winter months. 



A few camps, most of them m the Eastern States, were laid out on 

 rather marshy ground in the vicinity of pools of stagnant water. 

 However, these were only temporary, and the officers in charge, 

 while quite aware of the undesirability of the locations, stated that 

 they were unable to find any land in the vicinity of the work which 

 afforded better sites. 



In one camp a bunk house was built under a very large tree with 

 foliage so dense that the sun never could penetrate it. The structure 

 was provided with board sides and a canvas roof, and the only open- 

 ing was a single door at one end. As a result, its interior was dark 

 and musty even in dry, midsummer weather. 



CONSroERATIONS WHICH SHOULD GOVERN THE SELECTION OF A CAMP SITE. 



By selecting the site at the intersection of two or more roads which 

 are to be improved, the mileage which may be constructed from one 

 location may be increased proportionately. 



The S-mile limit mentioned above is fixed by consideration of the 

 time required to transport the men from the camp to the work and 

 back, and it depends therefore to a large extent upon the means of 

 transportation employed. It is approximately correct when the men 

 walk to work or are transported on the work wagons drawn by slow- 

 moving mule teams, but if motor trucks are used, as is done in some 

 instances, this distance may be increased to fully 7 or 8 miles with no 

 sacrifice of economy, provided the general condition of the road sur- 

 faces permits the use of the trucks. 



By judicious arrangement of the work and the exercise of a certain 

 amount of foresight, it may be possible often to select a location for 

 a camp which can be occupied for a period of five years or more if 

 motor trucks are used, and from which all the roads lying -wdthin a 

 radius of 7 or 8 miles may be worked. Furthermore, by a wise dis- 

 tribution of such camps over the county it may be possible to build 

 them as permanent camps to serve their sections whenever there is 

 work to be done in them, and so avoid entirely the necessity of 

 moving or rebuilding camp structures. As stated, the success of 

 such a system will depend upon the suitabiUty of the roads, grades, 

 and natural conditions for truck transportation; it wiU also depend 

 upon the extent to which the truck can be employed for camp pur- 

 poses and for road work when not used for transporting men. The 

 system is being employed in a number of localities with apparently 

 satisfactory results. 



