606 
lht  RURAL  NEW-YORKER 
Aoril  14  19PR 
More  About  Basket  Splints 
The  inquiry  on  page  34G  regarding  ash 
splints  for  seating  chairs  and  making 
baskets  takes  me  back  70  years  or  more, 
when  I  was  a  boy  living  in  the  eastern 
part  of  New  York  State.  In  the  Winter, 
whe-  my  father  could  not  work  at  his 
mason  trade,  he  employed  part  of  his 
time  seating  chairs  and  making  baskets, 
i  sing  ash  splints.  I  helneu  him  pound 
out  the  splints.  Take  a  young  black  ash, 
free  from  knots  on  the  branches,  0  in.  or  so 
in  diameter,  split  in  quarters  or  smaller, 
remove  the  heart  wood,  split  the  outer 
part  or  sap  wood  into  strips  the  width 
the  splints  are  to  be,  about  %  in.  Dress 
the  sides  down  to  uniform  width,  then 
pound  on  a  block  of  wood  or  flat  stone 
with  a  wooden  mallet  till  the  layers  can 
be  separated  readily  by  hand,  using  a 
knife,  perhaps,  to  start  them,  care  being 
taken  not  to  let  them  split  across  a  grain, 
which  they  may  do  if  not  pounded  enough. 
This  should  be  done  while  the  wood  is 
green  or  fresh  cut.  The  splints  can  be 
tied  in  bundles  and  laid  away  for  future 
use,  but  must  be  soaked  in  water  before 
using  to  make  them  more  pliable.  In 
seating  chairs  the  first  course  of  splints 
from  front  to  back  of  chair  must  be 
spliced  together.  This  splicing  should  be 
done  on  the  underside  of  the  seat.  To 
make  the  splice  the  head  of  A  is  put 
through  slot  in  B,  and  then  turned  around 
s)  that  the  collar  projecting  beyond  the 
dotted  line  C  projects  over  the  dotted 
line  D,  making  a  secure  flat  joint. 
CHARLES  SLEMMER. 
Concerning  the  splints  used  for  making 
baskets  and  bottoming  chairs,  these  splints 
in  this  section  always  went  by  the  name 
of  “basket  stuff.’’  Years  ago  there  were 
always  old  men  in  town  who  were  basket- 
makers,  and  could  bottom  chairs.  Baskets 
were  also  made  by  the  Indians  at  Lincoln, 
and  in  those  times  everyone  knew  how'  the 
work  was  done  ;  but  basket-making  is  get¬ 
ting  to  be  almost  a  lost  art  around  here 
now.  At  present  I  do  not  know'  of  any 
white  people  who  make  baskets.  I  believe 
the  Indians  at  Old  Tow’n,  Me,,  and  pos¬ 
sibly  some  of  the  two  or  three  remaining 
Indian  families  at  Lincoln,  Me.,  still 
make  some  baskets. 
Years  ago  the  bulk  of  the  baskets  made 
around  here  were  large,  strongly  con¬ 
structed  utility  baskets.  Now  1  think 
most  of  the  baskets  made  are  small  fancy 
ones,  which  are  bought  as  souvenirs. 
The  kind  of  lumber  used  for  making 
basket  stuff  was  a  species  of  ash  growing 
in  low,  swampy  land  and  known  here  as 
yellow’  ash.  I  think  other  kinds  of  ash 
found  growing  in  swamps  w'ere  sometimes 
used.  Personally  I  never  heard  of  the 
white  ash  being  used,  but  cannot  say  if  it 
ever  wras  used  or  not.  Basket  stuff  could 
he  made  at  any  season  of  the  year  w'hen 
the  wood  was  not  frozen  ;  the  logs  could 
be  cut  in  the  Winter  if  more  convenient 
to  get  them  then,  and  made  into  basket 
stuff  after  they  thawed  in  the  Spring. 
Among  the  Indians  I  think  it  was  the 
custom  for  the  men  to  get  the  logs  and 
make  the  basket  stuff  and  for  the  squaws 
to  make  the  baskets.  The  clear  part  of 
the  tree  trunks  wms  used.  The  length  the 
logs  were  cut  depended  something  on  the 
size  of  baskets  to  be  made,  and  also  as  to 
how’  the  particular  trees  could  be  best  cut 
to  prevent  waste.  Any  size  of  trees  could 
he  used,  from  quite  small  to  large.  The 
round  logs  were  w'orked  up  into  basket 
stuff  by  peeling  the  bark  off  and  then 
pounding  the  log  wPh  a  sledge  hamneer, 
or  more  often  the  “poll”  or  back  of  a 
single-bitted  or  poll  ax,  until  the  fibers 
were  so  loosened  that  the  outer  layers 
could  be  peeled  off.  Then  the  pounding 
was  repeated,  and  so  on  until  the  whole 
log  was  w’orked  up. 
For  nice  w'ork  basket  stuff  w’as  some¬ 
times  smoothed  with  a  knife  before  using. 
It  was  always  soaked  in  water  to  make  it 
tough  and  pliable  before  weaving  in  either 
baskets  or  chairs.  The  backs  as  well  as 
the  bottom  of  the  chairs  were  often  idled 
with  basket  stuff.  As  the  basket  stuff 
was  stripped  from  the  logs  it  was  taken 
off  in  strips  of  varying  width,  which  were 
slit  up  in  fairly  uniform  strips  before 
using.  The  width  of  the  finished  strips 
depended  upon  the  use  for  which  it  was 
intended.  In  making  fancy  baskets  some 
of  the  strands  were  often  stained  red  or 
green  or  other  bright  colors.  When  mak¬ 
ing  fancy  baskets  a  species  of  sweet- 
scented  grass  is  often  woven  in.  which 
imparts  to  the  basket  a  sweet  smell. 
PERCIE  E.  LEE. 
Splints  and  Splint  Brooms 
To  get  basket  splints,  go  to  the  swamp 
or  woods  and  get  a  black  ash  tree  about 
ti  in.  in  diameter.  Peel  it  and  then  take 
it  on  a  hardwood  block  and  pound  it  with 
a  sledge  stick  till  it  begins  to  splinter  and 
peel  the  thickness  and  size  you  want. 
This  must  be  done  in  the  Spring,  while 
the  frost  is  going  out.  Roll  the  splints 
up,  and  when  you  want  to  use  them  dip 
them  in  hot  water  till  you  can  work  them. 
If  you  want  a  splint  broom,  get  a  yellow 
birch  tree  about  3  in.,  cut  it  the  length 
you  want  your  broom,  then  mark  how 
long  you  want  the  splints.'  Turn  back 
the  splints ;  when  you  have  enough  for 
your  broom  cut  out  the  heart  and  bring 
the  splints  back,  tie  them  down  and  pare 
down  the  handle.  MRS.  wm.  h.  smith. 
Temporary  Road  on  New  Seeding 
There  is  a  temporary  road  made  across 
a  clover  field  on  my  place,  on  account  of 
the  depth  of  snow,  a  detour,  in  fact,  as 
the  regular  road  running  between  stone 
walls  or  fences  is  filled  with  snow.  A 
few  days  since  a  new  detour  was  opened 
alongside  of  the  first  one  by  a  man  who 
looks  after  the  condition  of  the  roads. 
The  first  one  is  all  right,  covered  with 
ice  and  snow,  but  on  the  last  one  the  bobs 
are  running  on  bare  ground,  destroying 
the  seeding.  I  am  perfectly  willing  for 
anyone  to  cross  the  land  so  long  as  no 
damage  is  done.  Is  there  any  process  I 
can  take  so  as  to  remedy  this  state  of 
things?  G.  s. 
The  court  has  held  that  where  a  high¬ 
way  is  impassable  a  traveler  may,  without 
the  consent  of  the  owner,  use  land  of  an 
adjoining  owner,  but  he  must  go  upon  it 
near  the  highway,  and  use  as  little  as 
possible.  The  town  superintendent  has 
power  to  contract  with  the  owners  of 
lands  lying  along  highway,  at  such  points 
as  are  liable  to  snow  blockade,  for  the 
removal  of  the  fences  now  standing  along 
the  boundaries  and  replacing  of  such 
fences  with  wire  fence.  It  is  his  duty  to 
estimate  the  amount  of  necessary  moneys 
to  be  levied  and  collected  for  the  removal 
of  obstructions  caused  by  snow  and  for 
other  miscellaneous  purposes,  or  the  town 
board  may  determine  that  no  money  shall 
be  raised  for  the  removal  of  snow,  and 
that  such  obstruction  shall  be  removed 
by  the  labor  of  persons  and  corporations 
liable  to  be  assessed  for  highway  taxes, 
and  where  the  latter  provision  is  made 
a  list  of  the  persons  shall  be  prepared 
and*- the  estimated  number  of  days  shall 
be  prepared  and  filed  according  to  law. 
We  believe  you  have  done  your  part  in 
permitting  persons  who  wish  to  drive 
through  to  use  your  land,  and  if  the  per¬ 
son  who  has  now  laid  out  a  new  “road’’  is 
in  the  employ  of  the  town,  we  would  sug¬ 
gest  that  you  notify  your  supervisor  that 
you  will  expect  the  town  to  pay  for  any 
damage  which  you  sustain.  N.  T. 
STATEMENT  OK  THE  OWNERSHIP.  MANAGE¬ 
MENT.  CIRCULATION,  Etc.,  Required  by  the 
Act  of  Congress  of  August  24,  1012,  of  THE 
RURAL  N  EW -  YORK  E R,  published  weekly  at 
New  York,  N.  Y..  for  April  1.  1923. 
State  of  New  York,  K„  . 
County  of  New  York, 
Before  me.  a  Notary  Public,  in  and  for  the  State 
and  iounty  aforesaid,  personally  appeared  John  J. 
Dillon,  who,  having  been  duly  swom  according  to 
law,  deposes  and  says  that  he  is  the  business  mana¬ 
ger  of  The  Rural  New-Yorker  and  that  the  following 
is,  to  the  best  of  his  knowledge  and  belief,  a  true 
statement  of  the  ownership,  management  (and  if  a 
daily  paper,  the  circulation),  etc...  of  the  aforesaid 
publication  for  the  date  shown  in  the  above  caption, 
required  by  the  Act  of  August  24,  1912,  embodied  in 
section  443,  Postal  Laws  and  Regulations,  printed  on 
the  reverse  of  this  form,  to-wit: 
1.  That  the  names  and  addresses  of  the  publisher, 
editor,  managing  editor,  and  business  managers  are: 
Publisher :  The  Rural  Publishing  Company,  333  West 
30tli  Street,  New  York,  N.  Y. 
Editor:  Herbert  W.  Collingwood,  Woodcliff  Lake, 
New  Jersey. 
Managing  Editor:  Herbert  W.  Collingwood,  Woodcliff 
Lake,  New  Jersey. 
Business  Manager:  John  ,T.  Dillon,  Sherman  Square 
Hotel.  New  York.  N.  Y. 
2.  That  the  owners  are: 
The  Kural  Publishing  Company,  333  West  30th  Street, 
New  York,  N.  Y. 
John  ,T.  Dillon,  Sherman  Square  Hotel,  New  York. 
N.  Y. 
William  F.  Dillon,  New  Rochelle,  N.  Y. 
Herbert  W.  Collingwood.  Woodcliff  Lake,  New  Jersey. 
3.  There  are  no  bondholders,  mortgagees,  or  other 
security  holders. 
4.  That  the  two  paragraphs  next  above,  giving  the 
names  of  the  owners,  stockholders,  and  security  hold¬ 
ers,  if  any,  contain  not  only  the  list  of  stockholders 
and  security  holders  as  they  appear  upon  the  books  of 
the  company,  hut  also,  in  cases  where  the  stockholder 
or  security  holder  appears  upon  the  books  of  the 
company  as  trustee  or  in  any  other  fiduciary  relation, 
the  name  of  the  person  or  corporation  for  whom  such 
trustee  is  acting,  is  given;  also  that  the  said  two 
paragraphs  contain  statements  embracing  affiant’s  full 
knowledge  and  belief  as  to  the  circumstances  and 
conditions  under  which  stockholders  and  security 
■holders  who  do  not  appear  upon  the  books  of  the 
company  as  trustees,  hold  stock  and  securities  in  a 
capacity  other  than  that  of  a  bona  fide  owner;  si n d 
this  affiant  has  no  reason  to  believe  that  any  other 
person,  association,  or  corporation  has  any  interest, 
direct  or  indirect,  in  the  said  stock,  bonds  or  other 
securities  than  as  so  stated  by  him. 
JOHN  J.  DI  LLON,  Business  Manager. 
Sworn  to  and  subscribed  before  me  this  31st  day  of 
March,  1923. 
WILLIAM  A.  CROSBY,  [Seal.] 
Notary  Public.  N.  Y.  Co.,  252. 
(My  commission  expires  March  30,  1924,) 
Air- Cure  Your  Hay 
with  McCormick-Deering  Hay  Tools 
IT  ISN’T  sun-drying  that  puts  quality  into  hay,  but  air-curing.  And  hay  is  air- 
cured  best  when  side-tedded  into  light,  breeze-sifting  windrows  such  as  those 
that  trail  off  in  the  wake  of  the 
McCormick -Deering  Side  Rake  and  Tedder 
You  can  follow  closely  behind  the  mower  with  this  machine  and  rake  the  hay  be¬ 
fore  the  leaves  begin  to  wilt.  The  teeth  strike  the  heads  of  the  hay  first  and  rake 
clean,  picking  up  every  last  wisp — and  there  is 
no  shattering  of  leaves.  The  hay  is  turned  com¬ 
pletely  over  and  deposited  in  snug,  airy  windrows 
through  which  the  air  circulates  freely,  curing 
evenly  both  stems  and  leaves  with  its  magic  touch. 
There  are  points  of  mechanical  excellence  that 
distinguish  this  fast-working,  gentle  hay-handling 
machine  from  all  other  types  of  side  rakes  and 
tedders.  There  are  also  many  points  of  mech¬ 
anical  excellence  that  distinguish  all  hay 
machines  made  in  the  International  Harvester 
factories — McCormick,  Deering  and  Milwau¬ 
kee  mowers,  McCormick-Deering  self-dump 
rakes,  tedders,  sweep  rakes,  stackers  and  load¬ 
ers.  Ask  your  near-by  McCormick-Deering 
dealer  to  show  you. 
International  Harvester  Company 
McCormick-Deering  Side  Rake 
and  Tedder 
McCormick  No.  6  Mower 
OF  AMERICA 
ot 
600  SO.  MICHIGAN  AVE 
Chicago,  III. 
u 
