Keeping the Tent Dry
If the camper is careful to keep the inside of his tent dry he will not mind a day or two of wet weather. The tent if not of waterproofed material should be protected by a fly to make sure of keeping it dry. Still the ordinary tent of duck without [[137]]any fly can be kept dry if the occupant is careful not to allow anything to touch the inside surface of the tent, and thus start a drip.
It is a good plan to raise the sides or walls of a tent during the heat of the day so as to thoroughly dry it out, particularly if there has been a wet spell.
The matter of insect pests is of importance. A tent with a good floor cloth will help to keep out mosquitoes, which are likely to be the most obnoxious pest encountered by the motor camper. Mosquitoes, however, are by no means found everywhere. There are many sections of the middle and mountain states where one has to travel hundreds of miles to find one of these pestiferous songsters, but along the coast, especially the Atlantic coast, they are pretty sure to be bothersome. They are hard to get used to, and hard to keep out of tent or car at night. Screens are of some avail, but are not altogether a specific. Neither are the various mosquito lotions. About the best thing to use is the oil of citronella, which may be bought at any drug store and which is inexpensive. Sometimes a smudge of punk or browse is fairly effective in keeping the creatures out, but the remedy is about as bad as the disease, unless one does not mind having his tongue taste like ham for a good part of the day. Citronella, too, is very offensive to some, but most people get used to it, and find it a very good protection against the activities of the mosquito.
The ordinary mosquito net is not much protection against most of the mosquito tribe. Scrim or [[138]]bobbinet is much closer in weave and so much more effectual in keeping these insects out.