was used. "A Vacation Diary," in the form of vest pocket memorandum
book, bound in linen, is published by Charles R. Scott, State Y. M. C. A.
Committee, Newark, N. J. Price, 10 cents.

Kites

Scientific kite flying is one of the best things a boy can indulge in.
Hiye-Sho-To, a Japanese, gives this interesting information about kites.
"To all Japanese the kite is symbolic of worthy, soaring ambitions, such
as the work upward to success in school, or in trade, and so on. When a
child is born, little kites are sent up by modest households to announce
the arrival. Kites are also flown to celebrate birthdays. To lose a kite
is considered an omen of ill-luck."

"For the control of a box kite, I prefer the lightest steel wire to a
cord. This wire is about the thickness of an ordinary pin, with a tensile
strength at the point of breaking of quite three hundred pounds. In
handling a kite with such a wire-ground connection, a boy should always
have rough gloves on his hands, that the wire may not cut them.

"Having a kite of this kind, or even two and three, so that on a single
wire he can keep sending them higher and higher into the atmosphere, a boy
can begin what we were wont to call in Yeddo our 'kite education.' First,
he can make himself his own weather prophet. Self-registering thermometers
are no longer very expensive. He can wire one of these to his kite, and,
by knowing the length of wire he has in hand and the amount he pays out
while the kite is up, ascertain just what the air temperature is 200 feet,
500 feet, 1,000 feet, 3,000 feet above him.

[Illustration: Box Kites]

"There are wind gauges of cheap construction, moisture gauges which will
note the coming of rain, small cameras that will automatically take
pictures while the kite is in the air, that may be attached to these
kites, and from the work of which valuable information may be obtained."

The following instruction for making a box kite was given in "The American
Boy," April, 1909.

"Any boy can make a box kite. The material used may be any tough, light
wood, such as spruce, cypress, bass-wood, or cedar. Cut four pieces 42
inches in length, and sixteen pieces 18 inches in length. The cuts show
clearly how they are to be put together. Use glue and small brads at every
point. The bridle cord is fastened 6 inches from each end of the box. This
is best done before the cloth is put on the kite. Light cheese cloth may
be used, and should be secured with