perfect
in every detail, look like graceful white-winged birds skimming over the
water, and the announcement of a regatta on the Lake often attracts more
spectators than similar announcements of "grown-up" regattas down the
bay. Many of these spectators are very critical, and attend these
regattas in order to study fine points of sailing, and to learn what
models will show the greatest speed.

The little yachts are so carefully planned and built that they often
serve as models for those of many tons. Some of the finest yachts of the
New York, Brooklyn, Atlantic, and Seawanhaka Yacht Clubs are built from
models furnished by winners of races and regattas on the lakes of
Central and Prospect Parks.

Two regularly organized and officered clubs, the New York and Brooklyn
Miniature Yacht Clubs, are the rivals of these lakes, and many exciting
match races are sailed between the flyers of the two clubs. These races
and all the regattas are governed by the regular rules of yachting, time
allowances being made for differences of measurement, and the amount of
canvas allowed each boat, as well as the course to be sailed, being
accurately defined.

Of the miniature yachts, schooners of the first class are generally
about sixty inches long, are heavily sparred--that is, they have very
tall masts, long booms, and bow-sprit--and are ballasted with very deep
and heavy lead keels. They are either "built" or "cut"--that is, ribbed
and planked, or worked out from a single block of wood.

They carry rudders merely to make them look ship-shape, and are steered
entirely by their sails. These are so arranged as to balance fore and
aft, and the jib and main sheets are made of elastic rubber, so nicely
adjusted that if the boat is inclined to sail too close to the wind, the
main-sheet stretches, the mainsail is eased off, and she resumes her
proper course, with the wind free. If she is inclined to "fall off" too
much, and run before the wind, the jib-sheet stretches, the wind spills
out of the jib, and the pressure upon her aftersails quickly brings her
up on the wind again.

The fleet at Prospect Park this season numbers some fifty sail, from
sixty-inch schooners down to ten-inch cat-boats, and contains schooners,
sloops, cat-boats, catamarans, and one square-rigged steamer. An English
cutter will probably be added to the fleet very soon, and interesting
races between her and the boats of American model are expected.

EASY BOTANY