1 
From “Motor Camping” (Dodd, Mead tf Co.) 
With the suspension bed (above) and the car cur¬ 
tains, it is possible to duplicate a fair tent. In 
the case of larger parties,, tents serve a better pur¬ 
pose, being used in conjunction with the car 
and cheap it is to travel by car if they do 
not depend upon the hotels for sleeping and 
eating accommodations. Even if one cannot 
get away for more than two or three days 
by using a simple camping outfit, many trips 
can be made at small expense and with a 
large amount of enjoyment. 
One of the best bpoks that we have seen 
on the subject of camping is entitled “Motor 
Camping,” written by J. C. and John D. 
Long, and published by Dodd, Mead and 
Company, New York City. Because so many 
farm people are interested in this subject, 
we are giving in this article a brief discus¬ 
sion on how to camp with the car and an 
outline of the simple equipment needed for 
eating and sleeping. We are 
indebted for most of our in¬ 
formation to the above men¬ 
tioned book. 
The first principle to remem¬ 
ber in motor camping is to 
travel light. There will be a 
tendency at first to pile the car 
full of too much equipment and 
to pack poorly. This will re¬ 
sult in constant irritation, tak¬ 
ing much of the pleasure out 
of the trip by causing so much 
trouble to take care of the stuff. 
All camping equipment should 
be purchased from the stand¬ 
point of packing it in small 
space, and if possible making it 
serve more than one purpose in 
the camp. 
The first consideration is how 
rest there will be little fun in 
to sleep. If one cannot get good 
Sleeping in the Open or Tents 
When the car is not used for sleeping, one 
can sleep on the ground with only a blanket 
between, or on small boughs, or in a sleeping 
bag; or best of all, on cots. Sleeping on the 
ground is not advised, for only an old-timer 
can get good rest in this way. Sleeping bags 
are rather expensive, but they are very handy 
and most people can get comfortable rest 
with them. Some folks get good rest in ham¬ 
mocks, but it usually takes several nights 
to get used to them, and many never get a 
comfortable sleep in them. It is difficult also 
with hammocks to guard against mosquitoes.. 
Most people who do not sleep in their cars 
use some one of the many different kinds of 
folding cots. A cot may be cold in cold 
weather, but if one has plenty of blankets 
to put under as well as over him, this can be 
guarded against. 
There are all kinds and varieties of tents 
which motorists can use, on the market. The 
varieties most commonly seen are those which 
hitch to the side of a car. Many of these use 
no poles, but are supported by ropes which 
fasten to the top of the car. They may be 
purchased for as low as $7.50 for 7' x 7' 
size. This particular tent is called “double 
service Moto-tent.” 
Another inexpensive tent that stands 
apart from the car is called the “Scout 
Featherweight Shelter Tent,” which has a 
door at each end that can be opened or closed 
to shut the world out completely. A more 
elaborate tent for long trips is called the 
“Overland Trail Tent.” This has a bed for 
two people, raised 15" from the floor. There 
are pockets in the side walls and a netting 
door sewed to the front wall. Such a tent 
suitable for two people traveling very 
IS 
From “Motor Camping” (Dodd, Mead ( o. i 
Eating" is one of the factors that must not he 
ignored. Healthy appetites and camping go hand 
in hand. Here are some convenient devices for 
cooking. The stove is collapsible 
Motor camping puts beautiful scenery within the reach of folks of moderate 
means 
I 
erated; that is, this is a good thing, provided 
there is plenty of good, wholesome, well- 
cooked food. Stopping at expensive hotels— 
and they are all expensive these days—is 
beyond the means of ordinary folks. There¬ 
fore, it comes down to a problem of 
cooking and serving one’s own meals in the 
camp. 
Mr. Long in his book says the average 
motor camper will find it convenient to pro¬ 
vide himself with some sort of equipment for 
cooking his food and drink. “The simplest 
heating outfit is the ‘Solidified Alcohol Kit.’ 
These are not much good except for making 
tea, coffee or cocoa, or heating canned 
soup. They are especially handy for short 
week-end trips.” 
All camping outfit companies 
have various varieties of camp¬ 
ing stoves. The simplest of 
these is the “Rush Stove” which 
will fold up flat when not in 
use, and costs about $5. It can 
be set up in ten Tninutes and 
will burn either coal or wood. 
Oil stoves are good, but are 
hard to carry. Mr. Long men¬ 
tions one which is called the 
“Optimus Traveling and Camp¬ 
ing Stove,” which can be taken 
apart and packed in small 
space. Gasoline stoves are very 
effective, but they are also dan¬ 
gerous, unless used with great 
care. One of the best gasoline 
stoves is called the “Colorado 
Sure Meal Camp Stove.” This 
,stj)ve can be opened up and 
■ {Continued un pii(/e 520) 
i 
the trip. There are a number of different 
styles of beds that may be used inside of the 
car. In a Ford sedan, the seat backs fold 
forward and by setting up two suit cases or 
other suitable material alongside bettveen the 
seats, a foundation may be laid, upon which 
blankets may be spread to form a comfort¬ 
able bed. 
Another device which may be used in the 
sedan is the “Foldaway Bed,” which will fold 
when not in use into a bundle 4%" x 4', and 
weighs only fourteen pounds. A suitable bed 
for the Ford touring car is called the “McMil¬ 
lan Auto Bed,” which may be purchased for 
about ten dollars, or less. 
Another car bed is manufactured by the 
American Camp Equipment Company, which 
will fit any kind of a car, may be set up either 
in the car or out, and can be used in the tent 
or house. It is called the “Moto Bed” and 
will cost about twelve dollars. So much for 
sleeping in the car. 
light on trips, making overnight stops. The 
whole outfit weighs only seventeen pounds 
and can be purchased for something like 
$14. 
With whatever kind of tent or sleeping ap¬ 
paratus, great care must be taken to provide 
for keeping out annoying mosquitoes and 
other insects. 
When it comes to bed and bedding, most 
people will be able to equip themselves fairly 
well from the home supplies. As bedding is 
apt to be bulky and difficult to carry, care 
should be taken to choose that which has the 
most warmth and requires the least space. 
Army blankets, which can be purchased at 
army stores, make very good camp bedding. 
One of the good things about traveling and 
camping is the fine appetities that are gen^ 
I N the past, no people have had fewer 
vacations than farmers, and there are 
none that need a little rest and recrea¬ 
tion more. One of the many good things 
that the automobile has brought is a chance 
for farm people, to get away from the daily 
grind for a few days. Not only do they come 
back physically rested and refreshed, but 
they bring back with them many new ideas 
that come from their observations of im¬ 
provements that other farmers have made— 
which makes the trip more than worth while 
from a financial standpoint. 
Hundreds of thousands of American 
people go camping every year with their 
automobiles. Over half of these are farm 
people. There would be more who would do 
the same thing if they realized how easy 
American Agrriculturist, June 23,1923 
Why Not Go Camping With the Car? 
An Inexpensive and Enjoyable Vacation For the Farm Family 
