The majority of people who go into permanent camp prefer tents considerably larger than the army wall-tent; but, unless your camp is well sheltered from the wind, you will have constant and serious troubles during every gale and thunder-storm, if you are in a large or high tent.  A large tent is certainly more comfortable in fine weather; but you can make a small one sufficiently cheerful, and have a sense of security in it that you cannot feel in one larger.  But, if you will have a large tent, make it of something heavier than drilling.

If you have two tents of the same height, you can connect the tops with a pole, and throw a fly, blanket, or sheet over it on pleasant days.

Do not pack away a tent when it is damp if you can possibly avoid it, as it will mildew and decay in a few days of warm weather.  If you are compelled to pack it when very damp, you can prevent decay by salting it liberally inside and out.

Before you put away your tent for the season be sure that it is perfectly dry, and that the dead flies and grasshoppers are swept out of the inside.  You should have a stout bag to keep it in, and to prevent its being chafed and soiled when it is handled and carried.  You will find a hundred good uses for the bag in camp.

FOOTNOTES: 

[12] You cannot find this sort of duck in the market now, but “heavy drilling” 29-1/2 inches wide is nearly as strong, and will make a good tent.

[13] Tents made of heavy drilling were also furnished to the troops, the dimensions of which varied a trifle from those here given:  they had the disadvantage of two seams instead of one.

[14] If the party is of four, or even five, a shelter-tent made of three breadths of heavy drilling will accommodate all. Sew one end-piece to each half-tent, since sewing is better than buttoning, and the last is not necessary when your party will always camp together.  Along the loose border of the end-piece work the button-holes, and sew the corresponding buttons upon the main tent an inch or more from the edge of the border.  Sew on facings at the corners and seams as in the army shelter, and also on the middle of the bottom of the end-pieces; and put loops of small rope or a foot or two of stout cord through all of these facings, for the tent-pins.  You will then have a tent with the least amount of labor and material in it.  The top edges, like those of the army shelter, are to have buttons and button-holes; the tent can then be taken apart into two pieces, each of which will weigh about two pounds and a quarter.  Nearly all of the work can be done on a sewing-machine; run two rows of stitching at each seam as near the selvage as you can.

[15] Called also wedge-tent.

[16] To find the distance of the corners, multiply the width of the cloth (29-1/2 inches) by 3 (three breadths), and subtract 2-1/4 inches (or three overlappings of 3/4 inch each, as will be explained).