the under side of the board, so that as it bends over it will
appear on the upper edge, as our illustration shows. The board should
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next be bent with a graceful curve, and thus held in position by a
rope or strip of leather at each extremity of the end cross piece and
attached to the ends of the third cross piece, as seen in the engraving.
If the bending is difficult and there is danger of breaking the board,
the application of boiling water will render it pliable. The draw
strings should then be attached to the ends of the second cross piece,
and our toboggan is now complete.

It may now be laden with two or three hundred pounds of merchandize
and will be found to draw over the surface of the snow with perfect
ease. For coasting over the crust there is nothing like it. Such a
toboggan as we have described will easily accommodate three boys,
the one at the stern being provided with a sharp stick for steering,
and the front occupant holding firmly to the draw strings. The
toboggan is easily made, and will do good service either for traffic
or sport.

CURING SKINS.

This department of the trapper's art is one of the most important
and necessary, as affecting pecuniary profits. The value of a skin
in the fur market depends entirely upon the care with which it
is taken from the animal and afterward prepared, and without a
knowledge on this subject the young trapper will in vain seek for
high prices for his furs. Large quantities of valuable skins are
sent to our markets annually by inexperienced amateur trappers,
and in many cases rare and beautiful furs have been almost spoiled
by want of care in skinning and curing. The rules are simple and
easily followed, a little care being all that is necessary to insure
most perfect success. In every case the skin should be removed
shortly after death, or at least before it has become tainted with
decay. Great pains should be taken in skinning. Avoid the adherence
of flesh or fat to the skin, and guard against cutting through the
hide, as a pierced skin is much injured in value. The parts about
the eyes, legs and ears should be carefully removed. The various
methods of skinning are described in our section on trapping, and
in all cases the furs should be allowed to dry in a cool, airy
place, free from the rays of the sun or the heat of a fire, and
protected from rain.

Astringent preparations of various kinds are used by many trappers,
but they are by no means nec