Snow Forts

Thcre is no sport among winter games more exciting umi auiusing tban snow-ball warf'are. All the boys must join in building the fort, selecting the highest point of the playgrounds, or, if the grouods are lcvel, the corner oí' a wall or fence. Supposing the top of a mound has boen selectcd as tbe place where the works are to be built, the first thing tq do is to make out the plan of the foundations. The diinensions depend upon the nuruber of boys. A circle, twelve feet in diameter, or a square with s-ides of ten feet, will mako a fort that will accomuiodate a company of ten boys. It is botter to have the fort too small than too large. ïhe chief engiucer must set hia men at work rolling large snow-balls ; the smaller boys can commence, and the larger ones take t ) ie 111 in hand when the balls have gained in size and become too heavy for the sinall boys. Make these balls of snow as largo and dense as nos.sible, tben roll them in jdace upon the lioea traced out for the foundation. We will suppose it to bo a square. In this case care must be taken to have the corners of the square oppogite the most probable approach of the eneniy. This will laavc tho .smallest poiut possible exposed to the attack, and the inmate.s of' the fort can, without crowdiDg each other, take good aim at the foe. After the four wides of' the square are covercd by large snow-balls, all hands must pack the snow about the bottom, and fill up each crack and crevice, until a solid wall is formed. Then, with spades and shovels, llie walls should be trinmied down to a perpendicular on the iriMcIc, but slanting upon the outside. The top of the wall may he two feet broad mul tbc base four feet. When the wall is (ini-hcd. prepare a mound of snow in the center of the square for the fhg-staff. This mound will be very useful as a reserve supply in case the ammunition gives out. A quantity of snow-balls should next bo piled up, inside the walls, at the four oornera. This done, tho fort is rcady for its era.