Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 90.djvu/761

 Popular Science Monthly

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��tvvo highest kites. But for the ten minute- race one must get off quite a distance in order to follow the kites and trace them to their respective owners."

The quarter-mile dash is "run" with reels; it is even more exciting than the quick high flights. The string is let out for a quarter mile; then it is attached to the reel and an unmerciful wind- ing begins. The kite mounts up, up, up until it stands almost over- head, and still the boys wind with all the vim in their bodies, which is considerable.

When the winding is in operation a kite may rebel, dart to earth and bury its sorrow. But usually some friend shouts to Johnnie or Ralph to save his kite from self-destruction. If the kite plunges to the ground it may not be dragged in, but must be raised to continue in the contest. Great is the shouting when the first kite comes in.

The judges are usually chosen from the teaching body. When an event is judged, one record is made on the judge's blank and a duplicate is made out for the winner. He takes his slip to the badge committee

���and receives in exchange the coveted token. In the tournament held this past season

the kite representing a giant insect was corrsidered to be the most artistic flyer in the air. The design of this particular kite stood out well far up in the air. The two tails added graceful lines to the lithe body as it swa\ed to and fro in the breeze.

The framework for this kite, shown in Fig;. I, is made of bamboo not more than i/i6 in.

��thick and

��in. wide.

��"Charlie" up in kite figure he isn'

��There is an extra spine that bows out to the front throughout the the air. As a body portion. Toward

t very animated the top it is split to

form the two spirals. The split begins at D, and the spine must be wound below this. Some use thread for winding; others use strips of rice paper with paste. The paper shrinks and draws the windings ver>^ tight. The bamboo is curved by heating it over a flame and bending it while hot.

The wing pieces B and B are lashed to- gether at X and are wound to Y, where they separate and form the lower circles secured at Z. Continuous pieces .4, A are crossed and extended to form feelers. The paper on the lower edges of the wings is not turned over the string as in the tailless

���Flower-garden kites. The designs are original. When high in the sky, with the sun behind them, these kites were very effective

��The dragon kite beginning to hump up its back. The boy wears cotton gloves to protect his hands from the string

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