^A/Tr y  H  ojA 
i^ered  as  Second-Class  Matter,  .Tune  26,  1879,  at  the  Post 
■  at  New  York,  N.  Y'.,  under  the  Act  of  March  3,  1879. 
Published  Weekly  by  The  Rural  Publishing  Co., 
333  W.  30th  St.,  New  Y'ork.  Price  One  Dollar  a  Y’ear. 
NEW  YORK,  DECEMBER  22 
The  Back  Track  to  the  East 
[A  few  weeks  ago  some  reader  asked  for  information 
about  going' to  California  in  a  car.  We  have  had  a 
great  response.  Evidently  many  of  our  readers  have 
made  the  trip  successfully .  We  are  unable  to  use  all 
the  material  sent  us.  but  here  are  two  stories  of  ex¬ 
perience.  While  of  course  this  is  not  the  best  season 
for  making  the  trip,  it  is  a  good  time  for  planning  it.] 
ONE-MAN  TRIP— A  year  ago  last 
Spring  I  was  in  Fontana,  Cal..  50 
miles  east  of  Los  Angeles,  and  I  had 
a  desire  to  be  in  New  England.  I 
do  not  enjoy  traveling  on  railroads, 
so  I  bought  an  old  Ford  car.  and  on 
the  first  of  June  I  started.  None  of  my  frieiids  that 
I  would  have  liked  to  have  for  companion  wanted  to 
come  with  me.  so  I  traveled  alone  I  followed  the 
Midland  Trail  to  Ely.  Nev.,  and  from  there  to  the 
Mississippi  I  tried  to  keep  on  the  Lincoln  Highway. 
East  of  t-he  Mississippi  the  Lincoln  Highway  went 
Part  I 
too  far  south  to  suit  me,  so  I  left  it,  but  in  the  East 
the  main  roads  are  all  good  between  the  large  cities, 
so  it  makes  but  little  difference  what  road  one  takes. 
My  object  was  to  get  to  New  England,  so  I  traveled 
every  day,  making  no  side  excursions,  and  reached 
my  parents’  home  in  Canaan,  Conn,  on  the  twenty- 
second  day.  the  speedometer  registering  3.475  miles. 
COST  OF  THE  TRIP.— I  had  practically  no  car 
trouble  other  than  tires,  which  bothered  me  some, 
for  I  started  with  old  ones  and  had  to  buy  two  new 
ones  before  I  got  to  my  destination.  Gasoline,  oil. 
tires  and  all  other  expenses  along  the  road,  other 
than  my  living,  amounted  to  about  $90  and  1  hardly 
think  anyone  will  do  it  for  much  less  and  buy  two 
tires  on  the  way. 
CAMPING  OUT. — I  did  not  patronize  any  hotels 
or  restaurants  along  the  way,  but  got  my  meals  on 
a  sheet-iron  camp  stove,  using  wood  for  fuel.  I 
slept  in  the  top  of  the  car.  using  the  seat  cushions 
placed  end  to  end  on  a  frame  over  the  backs  of 
the  seats,  for  a  bed.  I  carried  no  tent,  but  where 
two  travel  together  I  would  recommend  a  tent  that 
fastens  to  the  far  side  of  the  top  of  the  car,  making 
a  sort  of  lean-to  on  one  side  of  the  car.  For  a  bed 
I  would  recommend  a  folding  affair  going  in  the  top 
of  the  car.  Both  the  tent  and  bed  I  describe  are 
sold  by  the  catalog  houses.  There  is  one  great  ad¬ 
vantage  in  sleeping  in  the  car,  which  is  that  the 
mosquitoes  will  not  bother  one  there. 
SUPPLIES. — I  carried  five  gallons  of  water  and 
a  six-quart  canteen,  (the  canteen  I  kept  for  drink¬ 
ing,  for  that  was  cloth-covered  and  kept  cool),  five 
gallons  of  gas  and  a  quart  of  oil.  I  did  not  need 
the  extra  gas,  but  think  it  a  good  precaution.  I 
An  Effective  Hemlock  Windbreak.  Fig.  677 
