be soldered to the box. The needle is made
of a piece of sewing needle, about 1/8s in. long, and soldered to
the center of the diaphragm. The first point should be ground
blunt, as shown in the sketch. When soldering these parts
together, take care to have the diaphragm lie perfectly flat and
not made warping by any pressure applied while the solder is
cooling.

The tin horn can be easily made, attached to the sound box with a
piece of rubber hose and held so it will swing the length of the
record by a rod attached to the top of the box, as shown.

The motor can be controlled by a small three or four-point battery
rheostat.

[Illustration: Phonograph and Construction of Parts]

--Contributed by Herbert Hahn, Chicago, Ill.

** A Substitute for a Compass [289]

An easy way to make a pencil compass when one is not at hand, is
to take a knife with two blades at one end, open one to the full
extent and the other only halfway. Stick the point end of the
fully open blade into the side of a lead pencil and use the
half-open blade as the center leg of the compass. Turn with the
knife handle to make the circle.
--Contributed by E. E. Gold. Jr. Victor, Colo.

[Illustration: Pencil on the Knife Blade]

** A Novel Rat Trap [290]

[Illustration: Rat Trap]

A boy, while playing in the yard close to a grain house, dug a
hole and buried an old-fashioned fruit jug or jar that his mother
had thrown away, says the Iowa Homestead. The top part of the jug
was left uncovered as shown in the sketch, and a hole was b r 0
ken in it just above the ground. The boy then placed some shelled
corn in the bottom, put a board on top, and weighted it with a
heavy stone.

The jug had been forgotten for several days when a farmer found
it, and, wondering what it was, he raised the board and found nine
full-grown rats and four, mice in the bottom. The trap has been in
use for some time and is opened every day or two and never fails
to have from one to six rats or mice in it.

** A Nut-Cracking Block [290]

[Illustration: Holes in the Block for Nuts]

In the sketch herewith is shown an appliance for cracking nuts
which will prevent many a bruised thumb. To anyone who has ever
tried to crack butternuts it needs no further recommendation. The
device is nothing more than a good block of hardwood with a few
holes bored in it to fit the different sized nuts. There is no
need of holding the nut with the fingers, and as hard a blow