the two ends tightly together, twisting them on each other into a knot, and shoving them under, as a farmer binds a sheaf of grain.

HOOPS AND SPLITS.-The best hoops are made. from hickory, white or black ash, birch, alder, arborvitæ or other cedar, dogwood, and various oaks. Take sprouts or seedlings and split down the middle, leaving the outer side round. Thin the ends a little, and cut notches as in Fig. 97. An inside

Fig. 97.-Becketing hoops.

hoop, or any that is not subjected to much strain, is simply notched for a short overlap, as in the upper illustration; the ends are brought together, one on top of the other, and bound at a and b. A hoop to be driven on the outside of a keg or barrel has a long joint (lower figure); each end takes a half turn round the other, between notches, and the joint is then tied.

Splits for basket-making and similar purposes are commonly made of white oak, in spring or summer, when the sap is up. Select a straight-grained sapling, cut in lengths wanted, rive these into strips as wide as desired, then, with a knife, split these strips bastard (i.e., along the rings of growth) to the proper thickness. Put them in water to soak until needed, if you want them pliable.

Splits are easily made from slippery elm, for instance, by taking saplings or limbs three or four inches in diameter, and hammering them with a wooden mallet until the individual layers of wood are detached from those underneath, then cutting these into thin narrow strips. The strips are

kept in coils until wanted for use, and then are soaked.

Black ash and basket oak, when green, separate easily into thin sheets or ribbons along the line of each annual ring of growth, when beaten with mallets. The Indians, in making split baskets, cut the wood into sticks as wide along the rings as the splits are to be, and perhaps two inches thick. These are then bent sharply in the plane of the radius of the rings, when they part into thin strips, nearly or quite as many of them as there are rings of growth.

CHAPTER XVI

KNOTS, HITCHES, AND LASHINGS

Much depends on knowing how to tie just the right knot or other fastening for a certain job. In learning to tie knots, do not use small twine, but rope or cord at least an eight of an inch thick. Take plenty of it in hand, and do not begin too near the end.

The main part of a rope is called the "standing part" (Fig. 98). When the end is bent back toward the standing part, the loop thus formed is called a "bight," regardless of whether it crosses the rope, as in the illustration, or only lies parallel with it.

For the sake of clearness, in the accompanying illustrations, ends are shown pointed like thongs, and standing parts are left open to indicate that they extend indefinitely. Parts of the knots are shaded to show plainly how the convolutions are formed.

STOPPER KNOTS.-A plain knot tied anywhere on a rope to keep it from slipping beyond that point through a bight, sheave, ring, or other hole, is called a stopper knot. Such a knot often is used, too, at the end of a rope to keep the strands from unlaying. OVERHAND KNOT (Fig. 99).-Simplest of all knots. Often used as component part of other knots. Jams hard when under strain, and is hard to untie.

DOUBLE OVERHAND KNOT (Fig. 100).-If the end is passed through the bight two or more times before hauling taut, a larger knot is made than the simple overhand.

FIGURE-OF-EIGHT KNOT (Fig. 101).—Also

104. Reef Knot (holds, does not jam, easy to untie).

105. Weaver's Knot. 106. Double Bend. 107.Carrick Bend.

called Flemish or German knot. Used for the same purposes as the overhand knot, but more elegant and easier to untie. (See also p. 319.)

KNOTS FOR JOINING ROPES, ETC.-First are given illustrations of two knots that never are to be used, because both are treacherous. The thief knot (Fig. 102), with ends pointing in opposite directions, is sure to slip. It is a bungled weaver's knot (compare Fig. 105).

The granny or lubber's knot (Fig 103) is formed by passing the end a in Fig. 104 over instead of under the end b, and then bending b down under it. The result is that the loops cross over and under on opposite sides, instead of the same way on both sides. Such a knot, when drawn taut, has its ends sticking out and away from the standing part, and it is very likely to slip.

REEF KNOT (Fig. 104).-Known also as square or true knot. Will not slip, unless used in tying a small cord or rope to a thicker one. So long as the two ends are of equal diameter this knot may be relied upon. It has the advantage of being easy to untie. To make it, cross the two ends, a under b, turn a over and under b, bring the two ends up away from you, cross a under b, turn b under a, and draw taut by pulling the ends.

To untie, if the rope or cord is stiff enough, seize the standing part on each side, just outside the knot, push the hands together, and the loops slip over one another. If the material is limber, take one end in left hand and the standing part of the same end in the other, pull hard on both, and the knot becomes dislocated so that it is easily undone.

SURGEON'S KNOT.-This is the same as a reef knot except that, in making it, the end a is turned twice around the standing part of b before proceeding with the loop, just as in the double overhand knot (Fig. 100). It is used by surgeons in drawing tissue together, to prevent slipping of the first turn of the knot (see Fig. 193).