ind let it burn for a few hours to harden 
|he clay. 
I When you wish to bake, start a good 
ire with dry wood, then fill the oven 
vith green wood, closing the opening 
vith a piece of sheet iron or a flat rock, 
caving a little opening for the draft. 
When the wood has all burned down 
:o a bed of hot coals rake out the coals 
ind ashes ; cover the top of stovepipe and 
lilip in what you wish to bake and close 
he door. 
I An oven like this will bake as good 
bs the best range, as the heat is even and 
iitrikes alike from all sides. 
E. F. Shutes, Kansas. 
FLOATING DRAGON-FLY 
A t last I have produced a practically 
perfect floating dragon fly, in a color 
that is true to nature in this section. It 
lis tied on a No. 1-0-hook and I have 
tried it out here in Texas and it casts 
excellently with a lighter line and a 
lighter rod than I use with the ordinary 
bass bug. It requires almost no manip- 
ulation after it lights on the water, as 
the insect itself rarely rises, once it falls 
in, and the fish went after it in a man- 
ner that indicated they considered it the 
real article, to the extent that they 
scarcely ever do with the other flies I 
have used. When I drop it on the water 
its tail sinks slightly and the wings 
spread out exactly as the natural dragon 
fly would when lying on the water. 
Noa Spears, San Antonio, Texas. 
^ From time to time samples of all kinds 
of artificial angling lures find their way 
into our editorial rooms, but we do not 
recall having seen anything more allur- 
'ing or takable than this beautiful dragon 
fly creation of Mr. Spears. The shape 
and coloring are exquisite. It is light 
enough to cast easily ivith light tackle 
'and it has required constant vigilance 
to prevent its being taken off the desk 
right in front of our eyes, even by such 
'reputable persons as usually haunt these 
' premises . — [Editors.] 
I 
SPORTSMAN’S CLOTHING 
O FTEN the item that decides be- 
tween annoyance or comfort in a 
sportsman’s outfit, is the question 
of clothes. Naturally, one can- 
I not be at ease on the trail, lounging about 
j camp, or still-hunting with unsuitable 
land inadequate wearing apparel. 
1 All w’ho have had experience know the 
[value of correct and practical clothing 
and the sense of physical ease the wearer 
! 
enjoys in any situation and capacity. 
As one gains experience afield or on 
the trail, the satisfaction derived from 
wearing a comfortable, neat and practical 
garment is enough to offset any tempo- 
rary abnegation of fickleness in dress 
styles. 
To-day when manufacturers offer for 
common consumption garments and foot- 
gear especially designed for the outdoor 
man, no one need be long in finding an 
The floating dragon fly 
article of wearing apparel to coincide 
with taste or practicalness for any sit- 
uation or work in the outdoors. 
Perhaps of chief importance is the 
selection of footwear for hunting, camp- 
ing, or fishing trips. Various conditions 
demand, usually, a special kind of boot 
or moccassin— unless one chooses a shoe 
intended for general use. 
Hunting boots of the high, or medium 
high, laced kind, are perhaps the most 
in use to-day for general outdoor wear. 
These are available in a great many 
styles and sizes, and are usually given 
first place for comfort and utility in 
every phase of woods life. For tramping 
in broken, uneven country; for camping; 
for trout fishing where not much wading 
is necessary, and for mountain climbing 
such boots in heights to suit the wearer 
are unsurpassed. For field-shooting and 
prospecting, too, they are unexcelled. 
The height, quality and price arc, of 
course, entirely at the buyer’s option. 
Experienced men, however, advise a boot 
of about ten or twelve inches high, de- 
claring, as a reason, that too high boots 
tend to make one’s legs perspire; also 
the weight of lifting is considerably in- 
creased. This is more important than 
at first may appear, for the lifting with 
each step of a ^cw ounces will total some 
tons of extraneous weight at the end of 
a day of tramping. The old axiom that 
the best is always the cheapest can also 
be applied when selecting. 
Moccassins deserve their popularity. 
As a foot-covering, an ideal article for 
still-hunting, and for camp and canoe 
wear, the majority of nature enthusiasts 
swear by them. 
For still-hunting in dry weather and 
for use when snowshoeing on dry snow, 
the moosehide moccassin is unsurpassed. 
Although not actually warm, the moose- 
hides may be purchased large enough to 
comfortably enable the sportsman to 
wear several pairs of woolen socks in- 
side, which will keep the feet warm much 
better than a single pair of extremely 
heavy stockings. Moosehides are not 
water-proof, and should not be worn in 
wet weather or on melting snow. For 
the latter condition — wet weather, damp 
snow' or swampy hiking — oil-tanned, 
water-proof moccassins are excellent. If 
the prospective hunter has never worn 
moccassins, it would perhaps be better 
to order a pair with double soles. This 
will prevent sore feet. 
Shoe pacs and leather-top rubber shoes 
are also worn much. The rubber shoes 
are c.xccllent when hunting in slushy, 
melting snow, and may also be used in 
the heelless style with snowshocs in 
damp weather. 
pOR upper clothing, flannel and macki- 
^ naw materials are best for late fall 
and winter use. Khaki and corduroy in 
either the full-length trousers or breeches 
styfes are appropriate if the weather is 
medium, (ienerally of these latter ma- 
terials, the sportsman j)refers a suit — 
matched garments which are neat and 
durable. For late autumn and winter’s 
snow’ and ice. the mackinaw cloth is 
especially valuable. 
A fact to be rcmcinbered when buy- 
ing mackinaw clothing is the special Ci.n- 
{Contimicd on page 219) 
