length of No. 4 reed into a
2-1/4-inch square. Set this around the mat, bend the spokes over it and
fasten as you did those of the back. Again take three ten-inch lengths
of No. 4 reed and bend so: [Illustration] Place these around three
sides of the prepared seat and fasten them by wrapping them over and
over with raffia, and the front and two sides of the chair are formed.
Adjust the back to the fourth side of the seat; fasten it by wrapping
it closely with raffia. Next bend to a form near the size of the seat a
piece of No. 4 reed. Place this around the legs, to form a brace, about
one inch below the seat in front and about three-fourths of an inch
below in the back. Let the joining point of the reed come at the back.
With a piece of raffia fasten this to one leg, then wrap the raffia
over and over along the brace until the next leg is reached, secure it
and pass on to the third, then to the fourth, when the entire brace
will be wrapped with raffia and the four legs held in place.

[Illustration: BACK OF CHAIR No. II]

Where the back is attached to the seat, you will have four No. 4 reeds
coming together to form the back legs. This would make them too thick
and clumsy and they would not be symmetrical with the front ones. To
prevent this, clip two of the reeds between the seat and the brace on
the legs. Cut out the ends of the one of the back first worked in, and
the ends of the one forming the back brace. There is left the outer
fifteen-inch spoke you put on and the one which came around from the
side of the seat. These two form the back leg on each side. Wrap
closely with raffia the intervening spaces between the seat and the
brace so as to leave no unsightly ends.

In bending the reed to fashion the legs it is impossible to have it all
the same length; adjust this by letting the unevenness come out at the
foot of the leg and when the chair is finished measure and cut off the
legs to the same length.

RULES FOR CANING CHAIRS

_First: Verticals._

Setting up: Begin at the center hole of the front, pass the cane up
through the hole from the underside and down through the corresponding
hole at the back, leaving about four inches to tie off; then up through
the next hole to the right, pass to the corresponding hole to the
front, continue to the right and then to the left, until all the holes
are filled except the corner ones.

_Second: Horizontals._

Begin at the center hole at the left, pass the cane up th