Ammonia-Carrying Case for Insect Bites
An old clinical-thermometer case can be easily turned into a vial in which to carry ammonia for insect bites. Fit a small rubber stopper in the case, then push a darning needle into the stopper so that its end will be a little more than midway in the case. Cut or break off the needle end projecting on the outside and attach a small wad of cotton to the inside end. The case is then filled with ammonia. For bee stings this works fine, as the ammonia completely neutralizes the formic acid which the bee deposits.—Contributed by E. Everett Buchanan, Elmira, N. Y.
¶The contact points of a firm-joint caliper should never be struck on hard surfaces to adjust them.
How to Make Combined Kites
By C. M. MILLER
PART II—A Festooned Kite
More than one kite on the same framework is known as a compound kite. The one illustrated consists of three tailless kites on one long stick, called the spine. The upper one is 3 ft.; the center one, 2 ft., and the lower one, 1 ft. in width. There will be needed for the construction of this kite a stick of light wood—spruce is best, but it may be of pine or bass—7 ft. long by ¹⁄₄ by ¹⁄₂ in. If the wood breaks easily it will be better to increase the width from ¹⁄₂ in. to ³⁄₄ in., or the stick might be made ³⁄₈ in. thick without increasing the width, but with a good spruce stick the dimensions first given will be sufficient. The stick should be straight-grained and without a twist. If the spine is twisted, the kites will not lie flat or in a plane with each other, and if one is out of true, it will cause the kite to be unsteady in the air. The bow sticks are three, the upper one being 4 ft. long by ¹⁄₄ by ¹⁄₂ in.; the center one, 2 ft. long by ¹⁄₄ by ³⁄₈ in., and the lower one, 1 ft. long by ¹⁄₄ by ¹⁄₄ in. About five sheets of tissue paper will be required, but more may be needed for color combinations. The so-called French tissue paper is much better, as it comes in fine colors and is much stronger than the ordinary tissue. It costs a trifle more, but it pays in making a beautiful kite. The Chinese rice paper is the strongest, but it comes only in natural colors.
The Spine with the Bow Sticks Properly Spaced as Shown by the Dimensions
The Kite as It Appears with the Festoons Hung to the Ends of the Sticks
It will be seen that the kites do not extend to the top and bottom of the spine stick. The first bow stick is placed 13 in. from the top end of the spine, and each of its ends extends 6 in. beyond the kite for fastening the festoons. The bow sticks should be lashed to the spine, not nailed. Wind diagonally around the two sticks, both left and right, then wind between the two, around the other windings. This draws all windings up tightly to prevent slipping.
To string up the upper kite, drill a small hole through the spine, 6 in. from the top, at A, and also 6 in. from each end of the bow stick, at B and C. If a small drill is not available, notch the stick with a knife or saw to hold the string. Another hole is made in the spine 29 in. from the upper bow stick, or at D. Tie the outline string at A, then pass through the hole at C, then through D, up through B and back to the starting point at A. In tying the last point, draw up the string tightly, but not enough to spring the spine or bow. Measure carefully to see if the distance AC is the same as AB, and if CD is equal to BD. If they are not, shift the string until they are equal and wind at all points, as shown at E, to prevent further slipping. Proceed in the same way with the center and lower kite, and it will be ready for the cover.
The cover tissue should be cut about 1 in. larger all around than the surface to be covered, but turn over about half of this allowance. This will give plenty of looseness to the cover. For the fringe festoons, cut strips of tissue paper, 2¹⁄₂ in. wide, paste ¹⁄₂ in. of one long edge over a string, and cut slits with scissors at intervals of 1 in. along the loose edge. After the fringe has been made, attach it as shown in the illustration. Do not stretch it tightly, but give sufficient looseness to make each length form a graceful curve and keep the sides well balanced.
To bend the bows of the upper and center kites, attach a string from end to end of each bow on the back side of the kite and spring in short brace sticks in the manner usual for tailless kites.
Attach the upper end of the bridle at A. The length of the bridle string is 87 in. and the kite line is attached to it 30 in. from A, leaving the lower part from this point to F, where it is tied to the spine, 57 in. long.
The kite should fly without a tail, but if it dodges too much, attach extra streamers to the ends of the bow sticks of the lower kite, and to the bottom of the spine.
If good combinations of colors are used a very beautiful kite will be the result, and one that will fly well.