Of materials preferable for use in light weight tent-making waterproofed balloon silk stands in a class by itself. Superseding the antiquated duck or flimsy drill tents it is one of the items which has done much to make tramping trips feasible and worth while. It is in reality not a silk at all but a closely woven cotton cloth with a weight of but 3⅗ ounces per square yard (12 ounce duck waterproofed tips the scales at about 16 ounces). It is waterproof, rot proof, mildew proof and exceedingly durable. A leanto for the bivouacker can then be kept down to three pounds. Other colors than white are recommended for tents. Khaki is popular because it blends with the color scheme of the woods and plains and is restful to the eyes in the sun and cool on a hot day. A khaki colored waterproof silk is marketed as Tantalite. Should one prefer a cloth of green color he should get the so-called Emeralite. Neither one is so conducive to the collection of flies and other insects nor so noticeable in the woods as white. None of these cloths soak up water, hence if packed away after a rainy spell they do not appreciably burden the pack. Tents of most any desired shape can be secured ready made from any of the above materials. Should one want to attempt tent making at home he should get the so-called Egyptian sail cloth or Number XXX muslin and after making it up into the desired tent form waterproof it by one of the methods hereafter described. WATERPROOFING METHODS Upon touching a tent roof during a rain it will in most cases begin to leak. Processing to make it waterproof will avail little if the right cloth is not used in the first place. Say you are making a so-called silk tent using muslin. There are several grades and weaves on the market some being loosely woven and they soak up water like cheesecloth. So get it of the tightest weave and by impregnating the fibers with a waterproofing solution they are enveloped by the water repellent mixture and the interstices are not large enough to let the water through. The proper closely woven muslin cannot be secured in the average town store but by perseverance can be purchased from the city department stores. Waterproofing by paraffin is a most satisfactory process and the one most used by tent manufacturers. True the cloth is thereby stiffened in cold weather but it is absolutely waterproof and the method of application is easy. Simply put into a tin vessel 3 pounds of paraffin shavings (ordinary paraffin of the stores) and two gallons of gasolene or turpentine. The receptacle, best with a closed top, is set in the sun or in a tub of boiling water and never near a flame. When a solution is effected outdoors spread it on the stretched cloth by means of a brush, sponge or piece of cheesecloth. The gasolene evaporates leaving a thin coating of paraffin in the fibers of the cloth.