44 ^ 
\\'e must also note that, as we now 
f practically grasp the rod nearly a foot 
, higher up than previously, the leverage 
has been increased in our favor ; and 
( owing to the shortened length, the center 
of gravity of the new type is much 
nearer the hand-grasp than it was for- 
j merly. Therefore a considerably higher 
5 reel wdll correctly balance the hollow- 
handled rod, making the completed unit, 
7. c., rod and reel, ounces lighter than it 
^ was previously. 
' To put it briefly, we have a 9-foot 6- 
1 inch super rod that handles like a light 
9-footer. Did the introduction of split 
1 . ibaraboo take us quite as far ahead in 
t one step as this recent invention of Mr. 
! Foster Handy does? We must remem- 
iber that the earlier models of split bam- 
r hoo were an improvement on all rods 
I preceding them ; but they were, and are 
: to-day, only a short head in front of 
■ first-class greenheart rods ; whereas the 
1 hollow - handle device compresses the 
pow'er and casting ability of a perfectly 
: np-to-date rod into a compass hitherto 
I undreamed of. 
I Ralph L. Montagu^ 
California. 
A QUICK CAMP FIRE 
A S an experienced camper, I have 
given numerous inefficient stoves a 
trial and pronounced them w'anting. Then 
I accidentally stumbled upon a simple 
device that perfectly suits me. 
This solution of the camp-fire problem 
for cooking consists of - a twelve-quart 
galvanized iron pail bottom side up. One 
half of the bottom is cut out ; a cold 
chisel will do this. The part that remains 
is then perforated with large nail holes. 
This ledge serves as a rest for the coffee 
pot or other cooking utensik 
The inverted pail is placed on a boul- 
der and a small stone placed under one 
edge to raise it and create a draft. But 
very little fuel is required : a small col- 
lection of the short sticks that commonly 
lie around will do. As the sides of the 
pail prevent the heat from spreading, 
it is all directed to the object to be 
cooked at the. top, and the time required 
to bring the coffee to a boil is no more 
than it w'ould take for a city gas stove. 
If extra places are needed for cooking, 
use additional pails. These should vary 
in size so one wdll fit inside the other 
and save space w'hen on the move. The 
inside space can be utilized in packing. 
The points that appeal in this little 
■contrivance are; it is cheap, easily made. 
saves labor in getting fuel, and, most im- 
portant of all, quickly does the work for 
the outing appetite that simply cannot 
bear to wait. G. F. Sampson, 
New York. 
PLANS FOR A SINK BOX 
/^N the Atlantic coast it is the uni- 
versal practice to make shooting- 
batteries as inconspicuous as possible, 
which means that they are practically all 
steadier the “gun platform,” and the 
easier it will be to shoot from. The 
smaller it is the less conspicuous. The 
dimensions given in the drawing show 
a fair compromise. 
It is needless to say that the box must 
be watertight — it is the “boat” part of 
the job and provides most of the floating 
power. The “deck” or platform need 
not be watertight but should be laid with 
tight seams, so that water will not slop 
through. The edge of the box is pro- 
tected from slop by a lead, zinc or 
wooden combing about three inches high, 
which can be made to fold down in 
pleasant weather. 
The bottom of the box should have a 
removable grating about tw'o or three 
inches off the floor to keep the shooter 
out of such water as does come in. One 
end of this can be cut away to allow 
bailing. There should be at least half 
an inch space between this grating and 
the sides of the box, or water will run 
over the grating before finding its w'ay 
below. 
It is obvious that the shooter lies dowm 
in this box and that the actual dimen- 
sions can be adjusted somewhat to the 
below the waterline. Essentially the size of the occupant. Personally, for in- 
thing consists of a box to hold the shoot- stance, I need a bo.x about seven feet 
er attached below a platform to give it long. I have heard of “sit-up boxes” 
stability. The larger the platform the {Continued on page 480) 
