to have them to keep the base fixed. A stone is apt to work injury.

The bags can be homemade, from old carpets, or old mattresses, or even
from shavings or hay, stuffed into little calico or canvas pillows. A
piece of stout clothes line will answer for more expensive straps.

The pitcher's box must be permanently marked. This is done by sinking
into the ground an iron plate, stone or a wooden post, four or six
inches square.

If there is thick grass in the infield it must be cut from the
pitcher's box to the back-stop, nine feet in width, or better still
remove the sod and fill in the space with hard-packed earth. The
players will soon make the batting-crease and base lines marked on the
field.

To make a fair division of labor in laying out a field, let three boys
agree to furnish the iron staples, and posts for the bases and
pitcher's position, seven in all. The four for the pitcher's box may
be anywhere from three to six inches square at the top, and two feet
long; those for the bases being three inches in diameter; and all of
these sharpened to drive in like stakes. The staples, three in number,
should be two inches wide. Let three others agree to furnish the
bases; one boy to provide the six pieces of stuff--about sixteen
inches square, another boy to furnish three two inch straps with
buckles, or else sufficient rope. The straps must not be less than a
yard long. The third boy can see that the bags are looped for the
straps, stuffed and properly sewn. Three other boys can agree to
furnish the home plate, and to bring to the ground implements for
marking and laying out, viz.: a tape line two hundred feet long, a