CONVICT LABOE FOR EOAD WORK. 145 



with regard to the selection of the three ingredients, cement, sand, 

 and stone, and the best methods of preparing the concrete, building 

 forms, etc., is contained in Farmers' Bulletin No. 461, "The Use of 

 Concrete on the Farm," prepared by the Office of Public Roads and 

 Rural Engineering. Persons desiring copies of this bulletin may ob- 

 tain them free from the United States Department of Agriculture, 

 Washington, D. C. 



CLOTHING, CAMP SUPPLIES, AND EQUIPMENT. 



The problem of supplying and equipping a convict camp is a most 

 complex one, and one which, for its handling, demands a broad study 

 of the relative costs, durability, and suitability of the large number 

 of trade articles and supplies which are available. Too often, in the 

 hurry to put the camp into operation so as to realize the benefits of 

 the convicts' work on the roads, the purchase of supplies and equip- 

 ment receives but scant attention; articles are bought with little 

 reference to their suitability and adequacy, to say nothing of their 

 durabihty, simply because they are easUy obtained locally. This 

 haste results in rapid deterioration, discomfort, inconvenience, and 

 loss of time which materiaUy affect the economy of operation of the 

 camp. 



Though space does not permit a full discussion of all the items of 

 suppfies and equipment which have their places in a well-designed 

 convict camp, and though the subject is such as to require particular 

 study under the special conditions of each camp, a few of the more 

 important items are discussed below from the standpoints of conven- 

 ience, durabihty, and cost, and a number of other articles, with their 

 approximate costs, are briefly listed. It is not considered that all the 

 articles mentioned are necessary for all camps. They are given sim- 

 ply as suggestions of the articles available for supplying the clearly 

 defined wants of convict camps, primarily with the purpose of recall- 

 ing their availabihty to officials charged with equipping camps. 



CLOTHING. 



The clothing worn in convict camps varies considerably in quality 

 and quantity; while the durability of various articles of the same 

 grade, as reported from different localities, varies even more widely. 

 This, however, may be expected to vary with climatic conditions and 

 with the character of the work upon which the convicts are employed. 

 In general, it wiU be found that the life of most articles of clothing 

 wiU be shorter in a w(;t climate than a dry one ; and such work as rock 

 excavation and quarrying causes more wear and tear than those 

 works on which the danger of tearing is less and the material handled 

 is softer. 



