282 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[July, 
How to Build a Small Boat. 
Boats are often a great convenience, if not 
a necessity upon a farm, besides which they 
may be a source of much healthful recrea¬ 
tion. It is our aim to answer here many 
questions about boats by describing the con¬ 
struction of two of the leading sorts of small 1 
boats. A cheap and durable flat-bottomed 
boat may be made in the following way : 
The bottom is of two white pine boards, or 
other light, strong stuff, tongued and grooved 
together, and afterwards cut to the shape 
shown in figure 1. The proportions given in 
the engraving may vary to suit circum¬ 
stance?. Cut the edge very accurately, giv¬ 
ing to it a slight bevel upwards that the joint 
with the side boards may be close and water¬ 
tight. The stern is usually made of a Tama¬ 
rack “ knee,” though other wood will answer, 
in the shape shown in figure 2. The front of 
the upright part of the “knee’’should be 
bevelled to an edge, the bottom being dressed 
and fastened to the keel with screws or 
-wrought nails. The stern should be 6 inches 
wider at the top than 
at the bottom ; y 4 -inch 
Spruce stuff is best for 
the sides. To give the 
proper shape to the 
boat, two mold-boards 
are put in at the dotted 
lines shown in figure 1, to be removed when 
the sides are in place. Clamps should be 
used to hold the side boards in position 
while being fitted to the stem and stern. 
Lap the second board nearly one inch over 
the first, and place a piece of cotton cloth 
dipped in tar between tk: ' aids to make 
the joints water tight. After the sides are 
in, remove the molds and put in two ribs 
which should be of white oak, ’/ 2 by l 1 /, inch, 
made pliable by soaking in water, and secured 
in place by clinched nails. A strip of board, 
2 inches wide, should be nailed around the 
outside of the boat near the top, or gunwale, 
and the seats, etc., put in, as shown in fig¬ 
ure 3. The pair of oars may be of ash, but 
many will prefer paddles for a small boat of 
this kind. The cost of such a boat will de¬ 
pend very much upon the finish given it. 
Lap-Streak Boats ; suitable for rowing 
or sailing, may be made of any desired size ; 
the proportions to be observed in building 
them are, to have the length £ or 5 times the 
width. The greater width being adapted for 
mast and sail. The first item in the con¬ 
struction of this boat is the keel, which 
should be a piece of strong white oak, 6 
inches wide and 2 inches thick, dressed to an 
inch at the bottom, and grooved at the top, to 
receive the first streak, or side board. This 
keel should be fastened upon trestles, by 
means of wedges, to enable the work to be 
conveniently done. The stem of the boat 
may be of a “natural crook” of hard-wood, 
sawed to a proper curve, and mortised to the 
end of the keel. The stem, after being cut 
to a proper shape, is firmly fixed to the rear, 
end of the keel of the boat by a “knee.” 
The three mold-boards, to give 
shape to the boat, are next made, 
and fitted lightly to the keel, as 
they are to be removed when 
the sides are finished. The trest¬ 
les, and keel, with the stem, 
stern, and mold-boards are shown 
in fig. 4. The next work is laying 
on the streaks, or side boards. These should 
be made of white pine, spruce, or cedar, 
smoothly dressed. They need to be cut of a 
particular shape, and this is determined by 
clamping the streak upon the molds, as shown 
in figure 4, marking the line to be cut, with 
a pencil. The first board is fitted to the keel 
Fig. 4. —THE TRESTLES, KEEL, STEM, STERN, ETC.. 
and firmly nailed the whole length, no nails 
being driven into the mold-boards. The 
nails should be very pliable, so that they can 
be easily clinched on the inside with a light 
hammer, a heavy one being held on the head 
of the nail. As soon as the sides are finished, 
the ribs may be put in ; they should be made 
of white oak, and secured in place by 
clinched nails. There should be some short 
ribs running up only part way from the bot¬ 
tom of the boat. A narrow board is nailed 
upon the inside to the ribs, a short 
distance below the rim, for hold¬ 
ing the seats, etc. The gunwale 
is made by nailing a streak 
along the inside of the boat, it 
resting upon the libs. The row- 
locks, rudder, etc., may be ar¬ 
ranged as shown in figure 5. 
If it is desired to have the boat arranged for a 
sail, the mast can be “ stepped ” into a piece of 
plank placed in the forward part of the boat, 
with a strap of iron to embrace the mast, 
fastened to one edge of the forward seat. All 
the parts as they are put together should re¬ 
ceive a good coat of paint, so that the boat 
may be water tight, and as durable as possible. 
When not in use keep it under cover. 
In treating this important subject of Boat 
Building, about which we have so many in¬ 
quiries every year, we have reproduced some 
illustrations which were used ten years ago. 
Canada Thistles. 
There is a common impression that Canada 
Thistles can be readily killed, if cut at the 
right time, and several have asked, “ what is 
the proper time to cut them ? ” The life of 
this troublesome weed is governed by the 
same laws as that of other and useful plants. 
If we set out a bed of Asparagus or Rhubarb, 
we do not cut the shoots of the one or the 
leaves of the other continuously all through 
the season. We take the early shoots and 
leaves, but stop in time to allow the foliage 
to prepare a stock of provisions, and to store 
it in the magazine below ground—the roots, 
in order that we may have a crop the follow¬ 
ing year. In these cases we cut in such a 
manner as to save the roots. With the Can¬ 
ada Thistle and other perennial weeds, we 
wish to cut so as to destroy the roots. The 
thistle pushes up its stems, these flower and 
bear seeds, and it does this largely from its 
underground stores of 
food. Having provid¬ 
ed for flowers and 
seeds, the leaves of the 
thistle are at work in¬ 
creasing and strength¬ 
ening the roots for 
the next year’s crop. 
Hence the under, 
ground part of the 
plant is at its weakest 
at flowering time. By 
cutting it then, we 
not only destroy all 
the work it has done in preparing the flowers, 
but we at the same time prevent it effectu¬ 
ally from maturing its crop of seeds. When 
the stems above ground are cut away, the 
roots push other stems, and at this time, in¬ 
stead of storing up supplies, the roots are 
expanding them. This, then, when the Thistle 
is blooming, or about to do so, is the time 
when the greatest injury can be inflicted 
upon it. But with the Canada Thistle, once 
cutting, while it greatly weakens, will by no 
means kill it, and there is no time at which 
it can be destroyed at a single cutting. The 
only proper way with this and similar plants 
is, to cut the shoots that first appear, and to 
continue as long as there is anything to cut. 
That continued and persistent cutting will 
conquer the Canada Thistle, and that even 
worse weed, the Horse Nettle (Solanum Caro- 
linense), we have positive knowledge, but no 
half-way work will prevail. It has been fre¬ 
quently advised for Canada Thistles, to cut 
just below the surface of the ground, and 
apply salt to the cut root. Perhaps salt is of 
service in killing a 
portion of the root, 
but it is only practi¬ 
cable on a small scale. 
Where the weed 
abounds, and it has 
been decided that it 
shall be eradicated, 
the reliance must be 
upon cutting, which 
must be done often 
and continuously, even if the work leads 
one into the next year—and the next. 
4|isiekly THLsituring ILive — 
The best beef is young beef; reaching its 
greatest point of superiority at from 2 to 3 
years. The same is true of sheep and swine. 
A wether, for the best mutton, should be in 
Fiff. 2. —A “ KNEE. 
OF LAP-STREAK BOAT. 
