Nov. 38, 1896. 
FOREST AND STREAM 
436 
planted, and land may be purchased at 5a. an acre. Bach 
acre will bear 193 trees planted 15ft. apart. But the trees 
should not be tapped until the eighth year, by which 
time, according to the writer's calculations, they will have 
cost 9d, each, and will yield Slbs. of rubber, worth lis. 
8d., or 143,, if the milk is gathered and coagulated, as in 
Brazil. For the sake of convenience, let us value the 
rubber at 28. per pound, and see what will be the profit on 
a plantation of 100 acres. The land will cost £25; survey- 
ing, £20; clearing, £300; collectina: seed and planting, 
£100; eight yearly weedings, at £40 each. £320; imple- 
ments, £60; cost of living for eight years, at £50 per annum 
—ample in Nicaragua— £400; gathering the eighth year's 
crop, £300; total, £1,425. 
Now for the profit. Government bounty on 19,300 
trees, £252; produce at 2a. per pound, £9,650. Deduct the 
capital invested, and the net profit is £8,477. The aver- 
a2;e increase is lib. of rubber for each year of the tree's 
life, so that the ninth year's profit would be. roughly, 
£9,870; the tenth, £11,500; the eleventh, £13,160; the 
twelfth, £14,800, and so on. It is pretty clear that if the 
demand for rubber should continue to increase, and the 
area in cultivation were judiciously extended, the planter 
would soon be able to write himself down "millionaire." 
At present the demand shows no sign of falling off; quite 
the contrary. During 1895 the imports of rubber into 
the UnitPd Kingdom aggregated 17,077 tons, of the value 
of £3,766,643. In the first five months of 1896 the imports 
increased by 1,300 tons, owing, doubtless, to the ojcle 
boom. 
too MUCH OF A GOOD THING. 
Excess in anything is to be avoided, whether it be ex- 
cess in eating, drinking or bicycle riding. 
Judging from casual observation, it would seem that 
most riders at times do more than is good for them, and 
it is the exception to find a wheelman who knows enough 
to stop when he is tired. After one is healthily fatigued 
additional riding is sure to do harm, and the lassitude and 
irritability and disordered digestion that follows is good 
evidence that too much has been attempted. To be bene- 
fited by bicycle riding one should feel brighter and 
fresher the day after the ride than the day it was taken. 
After a long ride a bath is often very refreshing, but 
.iudgment should be used in determining its character. 
Hot baths are enervating, and|cold baths dangerous under 
conditions where a speedy reaction does not follow. If 
one is very tired a warm bath is perhaps best— especially 
if taken just before retiring. 
If one expects to go out after a warm bath it is, of 
course, advisable to finish with a hasty sponge over with 
cold water to close the pores, as a precaution against tak- 
ing cold. 
Cold water alone, however, has a tonic power and 
should be used in cases where the rider is not too much 
fatigued and where the bath is taken immediately after 
the ride. Either a very quick bath or a shower with the 
water as cold as can be borne will do, and in either case 
it should be followed by long and vigorous rubbing with 
rough towels. 
If water with a little salt or alcohol in it is used the 
advantageous results are increased. It is not necessary 
to plunge entirely into the water, a thorough sousing 
with a large sponge being sufficient. The cold water 
and subsequent rubbing tones and refreshes the skin, 
while the feeling of exhilaration that follows lessens, 
if It does not entirely remove, the sense of fatigue. 
Men who have been carefully trained or who are natu- 
rally endowed with strong systems may safely continue 
theur exertion long after it would be injudicious for 
others to do so. Each man must judge for himself when 
his limit has been reached, and, if wise, he will keep his 
riding well within that limit. 
Professionals when racing are not exempt from the bad 
results of over-exertion. These results are naturally most 
pronounced when the effort is of long duration. Rivierre 
the winner of the Bordeaux-Paris and Bal d'Or races! 
broke down when he came to meet Huret in a twenty-four- 
hour competition, Oct. 11, as a direct result of the strain 
of the previous contests, and Arthur Linton lost his life 
as a consequence of too continuous application to the cin- 
der path. Linton was a man of tremendous pluck and 
stamina, and he did not know what it was to stop pedal- 
ing in a race while consciousness and the physical capacity 
to move his limbs remained. He began the season in fine 
physical condition in March with a six days' race, and con- 
tmued racing without a week's rest from long-distance 
competitions till the time of his fatal illaess. In most of 
these contests he rode till he was completely exhausted. 
At the Bal d'Or. twenty-four-hour race in Paris he was 
compelled to stop from illness. He disregarded this warn- 
ing, however, and with no rest for recovery returned to 
England and took part in the race for the Oatford gold 
vase, in which he rode extremely well on the first day 
but was compelled to stop on the second by the onset of 
the illness which had so unfortunate a result. Linton 
seemed unable to realize that ^^hile his muscles were 
capable of any demand made upon them his vital system 
could refuse to respond, and so he kept at it till he had 
burned bis candle and died like any drunkard dies from 
excess, 
Dr. E, B. Turner has contributed the following opinion 
of Lmtons death, which we take from the Australian 
Cyclist . He says: 
•'I write this in ignorance of the precise symptoms of his 
malady, which is stated in the press to have been enteric 
(or typhoid fever); but one thmg is certain, and that is 
that for weeks his whole system must have been poisoned 
by the 'ptomaines' engendered by his all but continuous 
exertions. The blood of any man who has competed in a 
distance race on foot or on a cycle is found afterward to 
be full of poisonous substances, produced by the forced 
combustion of his tissues, and this poison is gradually ex- 
creted from his system during the next few davs, but it 
takes a more or less long time to get free from 'it. Now 
if a man before he has recovered from these effects of one 
race rides in another, he adds a fresh dose of poison to 
the dregs of that remaining in his tissues, and in a short 
tame he simply becomes a storehouse of waste material. 
This IS the condition of young, unseasoned soldiers in a 
hard campaign, who die like flies after forced marches 
from fatigue fever, an illness whose early Bymptons di- 
rectly simulate those of typhoid. Now poor Linton gave 
himself no rest to get rid of this poison, and whether his 
fatal ailment was true enteric, or acute fever from long- 
continued over-evertion, which (writing in quasi-ignor- 
ance) seems to me possible, it is certain that being full of 
poison ho was in no case able to resist the onset of any 
serious illness, and his death may be directly attributed to 
over-racing. In an experience of twenty-six years of all 
kinds of sport, this is the first instance in which I can at- 
tribute a fatal result to athletic competition, and I hope 
it may be the last. 
"Man is not a machine; he must rest after prolonged ex- 
ertion, and to trade on his pluck, and compete again 
before he has recovered, is simply to court disaster. I 
write this not as an anti-athletic faddist, but as a man who 
has a strong and firm belief in training and racing, and 
the good it does when properly indulged in; but I wish to 
point out the danger of excess, and warn the modern 
school of distance racers that nature must be obeyed, and 
that one twenty-four hours' race in a year is about enough 
for most men, and I address this warning particularly to 
those riders who have their living to make out of the 
sport, lest in the present pursuit of fame they may ruin 
their whole future health, or even put an end to their 
lives by thoughtless over-competition." 
Squirrel and Bicycle. 
"In a recent issue of the L. A. W. Bulletin," says a 
correspondent, "a rider in or near Philadelphia told how 
he was thrown from his bicycle by rabbits running be- 
tween the wheels at night. I do not doubt it, as I had a 
similar experience one morning riding through a little 
wood in Montclair, N. J. A equirrel started across the 
road and ran through my front wheel. I expected. to see 
it killed and to be upset myself, but it was only caught in 
the wheel enough to throw it about 10 or 12ft. in the air, 
brushing my ear as it described a circle, landng on same 
side of wheel. A little ahead it again ran through the 
wheels and up a tree on the other side of the road — by no 
means a dead squirrel. " 
For a Tonic. 
Iron has long been considered an excellent tonic, but it 
has remained for the fag end of the century to demon- 
strate the tonic qualities of steel. Taken in the form of a 
bicycle, steel has a power for regenerating run-down 
humanity that no other tonic has ever approached. 
MASSACHUSETTS YACHT RACING 
ASSOCIATION. 
No BETTER evidence of the s^ood work done in a short 
time by the Massachusetts Yacht Racing Association is 
needed lhau the pampblet recently sent out by Secretary 
Bliss, containing the records of the season's racing. The 
book gives a most interesting summary of the season's 
work, the complete record of each race sailed under the 
auspices of the Y. R. A., and the tabulated record of each 
yacht in each class, showing the starts, the places down to 
ihird, and the percentages as calculated by the Association 
method, as follows : 
First place, 100 per cent. ; second place, 50 per cent. ; third 
place, 25 per cent. ; the total amount of percentage to be 
divided by the number of starts, the result giving the cham- 
pionship percentage. Only open races scheduled under the 
Y. R A, rules to count; at least 50 per cent, of the total 
percentage to be won within limits indicated on the Associa- 
tion chart; no percentage to be allowed to a yacht which has 
not defeated a competitor, and every yacht to be assumed to 
have started in at least ten races. With this system of com- 
putation ol performances a championship diploma is given 
for the highest percentage in all classes, and also a champion- 
ship medal and pennant to the yacht with the highest per- 
centage in each class. 
The winners of the year are given on the first page of the 
book: Diploma, Elsa, H. M. Crane, in the 15ft. class, Mr 
Crane being also the "crew" of the champion of the 15ft. 
R. L. class in New York. The winner in the hrst class is 
Ida, J. F. E. Beekman; second class, Gleaner, F. O. Welling- 
ton; third class, Arab, W. F. Scott; fourth class, Alpine, C. 
J. Blethen; fifth class, Elsa, H. M. Crane; knockabout class 
Cock Robin, Chas. S. Eaton. A record such as this and the 
accompanying lists of the yachts in each class in the order of 
their percentages is of far more value in encouraging racino- 
than any amount of money in cash prizes under the old hapl 
hazard system. From the beginning of the season each rac- 
ing owner is now working not for a few valuable prizes or 
for _ empty honors in walkovers or in a class with little 
against him, but for the first place in percentage in a large 
class of racing yachts. The ofScial record shows percentao-es 
for 11 yachts in the first class, 17 in the second, 18 in the 
third, 18 in the fourth, 6 in the fifth, and 11 in the knock- 
about class. 
Accompanying the book is a sheet containing the recent 
changes in the racing rules, already published. Most of 
these are decidedly for the better, and should result in in- 
creased interest in the racing of 1897. Considering the 
widespread- in fact, almost universal— use of the Seawan- 
haka rule throughout the country, and the fact that it has 
given better results than any other rule ever tried, and that 
its disadvantages are equally shared by other rules, it seems 
unfortunate that the Massachusetts clubs could not retain it 
and remain in unity with rhe New York and Sound clubs 
especially as these now form a strong union It is quite 
certain that in New Y'ork waters a simple waterhne measure- 
ment, such as was so long in use, has at best no advantao-e 
whatever over the length and sail area rule; and it has not 
yet been shown how the conditions about Boston differ from 
those m so many other localities. No proof seems necessary 
ot the desirability of one common rule throughout the coun- 
try, and the rule now generally used is at least better than 
anything proposed to replace it. 
The naming of the Assceiation classes is also of a hap- 
hazard description: First class, special class, second class 
knockabout class, third class and fourth class. 
Taken altogether the Association has done wonderful 
work m but two years, not only bringing excellent order out 
ot wbat was little better than chaos, but making good rules 
as well as uniform rules. The measurement of the actual 
waterhne with crew on board, the abolition of lime allow- 
ance, the establishmeot of the percentage system, simple 
and manifestly good as they all are, seemed hardly possible 
but three years ago. 
The following notice is sent out to aU clubs with the book: 
"The Buccess of the Yacht Racing Association of Massa- 
chusetts having been established, through uniform rules and 
the support given it by the yacht clubs comprising it, the 
executive committee would call attention to the amendments 
to sailing rules (copies of which please find herewith), which 
rules will be changed as little as possible in the future. 
"While this Association does not presume to dictate in 
club matters, it would recommend the revising of club sail- 
ing rules to conform, as nearly as possible, to the Associ- 
ation's rules, as a matter of convenience to themselves, re- 
garding measurements, etc., to prevent yachts being forced 
out of their usual classes, and that they may sail their club 
races on up-to-date rules, which cannot fail to benefit the 
club's r^'cing. 
"As it is an established fact that open races are more in- 
teresting and beneficial to the sport than club races, it is 
hoped that clubs wiM give a liberal share of their appropria- 
tions to open races." 
THE CRUISE OF THE CRICKET. 
Many yachtsmen may not be aware of the fact that there 
is a navigable inside channel from Itie Gn at South Bay of 
Long Island through to Sliiunecook and Pcconic bays for 
craft of humble dial t. To such the log of the sloop yacht 
Cricket on her September cruise may be of interest. Cricket 
15 a centerbonrd jib and mainsail boat, loft. 6in, l.w.l., 18ft. 
over all and liin. draft. She was designed and built com- 
plete at Amity ville, L. 1., by her master and navigator 
Master Robbie Haight, at present a student at Stevens Col- 
lege,- Hoboken. He even cut hfr sails— which were made 
with the aid of the maternal sewing machine— and bent them 
when made. "I knew she was strong enough," .said Capt. 
Haight, ".'=0 1 didn't hesitate to take her anywhere I could 
pilot her." With the .assistance of a young friend who 
eagerly volunteered to act as "crew," the voyage, of which 
the followine- is the log, was safel}^ accomplished : 
Sept. 8. — Got under way f I om Amityville at 1:25 P. M 
Wind, N.E, by N. Course, E. by N. Double-reefed fore 
and aft. Anchored at Cherry Grove 5:30 P. M Distance, 
16 miles Time, 4 hours 5 minutes Lay all night on a lee 
shore. Wind increasing. At 1 A M. let go large anchor, 
but it proved unnecessary. 
Sept. 9. — Cloudy; blowing half a gale. Weiahed anchor 
5:.SgA. M. AYind, N.N.E. acd dead ahead. Beat across 
bay to Say ville under three-reefed mainsail and'^bob"iib 
Anchored 9 :20 A M. Crew wore leaky oilers and was wet 
through Lay storm-bound all day at Sayville Dock. At 
9:30 P. M. left dock, let go both anchors and paid out cable 
to bare ends. 
Stpt. 10.— Cloudy; good whole-sail breeze, N.W by W. 
Gut the anchors and started with everything set at 9 -lO A 
M. Pasfed Patchogue 9:45 A, M., HowtU's Point 10 'lO a" 
M.; di.sfance % miUs; tia-e 1 hour Blackisquall from 
N.W, Dropped ( veryihing and scudded for Smith's Point 
unf'erjib Pn,ssed Moriches 12 M under double-reefed main- 
sail and full jib. Catboiil chafed us about 3 miles, unsuccess- 
fully. Entered canal ai end of Moiiches Bay. Passed 
under f.iur bridges at West Hampton and Quogue. Had to 
pull and pole through ^^ctwfen the bushes. Reached Shin- 
ner( ck Bav and ran for Shinnec ck Light Reached light 
7 P. M. L'ludtd accidtijtaJlj right in'lighlkeeper's duck 
yard. Day't^ run 30 mili'S; time 9 hoars 50 minutes. 
Sept. 11.- Clear; wind light S.S.W. I'nder way 5 A. M. 
Entered Shinoeccck Canal and unstepped mast. Passed 
under two bridges and through canal. Tide running 
through -witl'i us about 5 miles per hour. In most places 
could find no bottom with lilt. oar. In Great Peconic 
Bay at 9 A, M. Becalmed for one hour. Breeze from 
S W. Ran from Robin's Island Buoy to Jessun's Neck 
Buoy in one hour; distance 6 miles. Reached Green port 
3 P.. M Day's run 18 mile!-; time 10 hours 
Sept. 12 — Good breeze from eastward. Under way with 
ever\ thii)g set 6:30 A. M. Beat down to Hay Beach Point 
then laid course through Gardiner's Bay for Ram Island 
Wind and tide against us. Ram Island to Moatauk Point 
under jib and mainsail; wind still ahead. Caught three 
large blueflsh in tide rift off the Point; landed one and 
cooked him for dincer Fog shut in at 3PM, but drifted 
shghlly 5:05 P. M M-^ntiub Liglit bore duf; north. Laid 
course W. by S. for Fire IsknU; wiad S E. Clubtopsail 
alolt. Lookout forward and helmsman aft; one hour 
watches At 9 P. M. wind dies out. Crews gets two hours 
below. 11 P. M. no wind ; skipper gels two hours br low 
Si'pt. 1=^, 1 A. M.— Light breeze from W. dead ahead. 5 
A. M , no wind. Day breaks foggy. 6:30 A M , fog lifts 
We are off Shinnecock Lite Saving Station. Mide about 25 
miles during the night. Wind comes E. by N right at 
Shinnecock Light bears N at 7:58 A. M. Wind increasing' 
Still going wino-a-wing with topsail aloft. Parsed Tianna 
L. S S. 8:17 A. M. Passed Quogue L. S. S. 8:54 A. M 
(3f miles, 37 minutes). Passed Petunk L. S. S. 9:30 A M 
(6i miles, 36 minutes). Passed Moriches L. S. S 10 A m' 
(31 miles, 30 minutes), 10 A. M. blowing two-retf breiz 
CJubtopsail spars would not stand, so hauled the sail down 
and set it tack upward as a fpinaker. Passed Forge Rivu- 
L. S. S. 10:47 (5i mil^ s, 47 minutes). Passed Smith's Poiut 
L. 8. S, 11:17 (3J miU-s, 30 minutes). Passea Bellpori L S 
S. 11:45 (3i miles, 28 minutes). P:i?sed Bine Point L S S 
12:55 (5i miles, 50 minutes) Pasted Lone Hill L S S I'O''. 
(3 miles, 27 minutes) Passed Point o' Woods L. S S 1-35 
(2i miles, 33 minutes). At 2:15 P. M. Fire Island Light bore 
N. Dropped mainsiil and scudded for bell buoy under jib 
while double-reefing mainsail. Beat into the inlet against 
full ebb tide under two-reefed mainsail aud "bob" jib 
Wind still E. by N. Give her the full jib at Wa-wa-yanda" 
Rounded W^hirlpool Pont 5 P. M. and eased oft' sheets for 
home. Dropped anchor at Amityville 6:45 P. M. Dav's 
run about 55 miles; limt 12 h' urs." 
From Greenpoit to Aoutyville, about 105 miles, the run 
was made in m hours without a stop. Tlie best time was 
made on Sept 10, from Sayville to Howell's Point, 7i 
miles, time 1 hour, with wind on port quarter. 
When the antecedents of skipper Haight are considered 
It 18 no wonder that he has developed a penchant for nautical 
sport. He is a grandson of Capt. Samuel Samuels, the 
famous master of the old clipper ship Dreadnaught, the 
pioneer transatlantic yacht racer and now president of the 
Marine Journal corporation. Mrs. Haight was born at sea 
on the old ship Manhattan, m the voyage home from Bata via 
under Capt. Samuelh's command. When at the City of New 
York Coilege Mr. Haight took the prize twu ^ ears in suc- 
cession awarded by Harper Bros, lor superior workman, 
ship. 
