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THE
BOOK OF SPORTS:

CONTAINING
OUT-DOOR SPORTS,
AMUSEMENTS AND RECREATIONS,
INCLUDING
GYMNASTICS, GARDENING & CARPENTERING,

For Boys and Girls.

BY

WILLIAM MARTIN,
AUTHOR OF "FIRESIDE PHILOSOPHY," "THE PARLOUR BOOK,"
"INTELLECTUAL CALCULATOR," ETC. ETC. ETC.

SECOND EDITION.

LONDON:
DARTON AND CO., HOLBORN HILL.

M.DCCC.LII.

J. WERTHEIMER AND CO., PRINTERS, FINSBURY CIRCUS.

[Illustration]




CONTENTS.


  PREFACE                                                   vii


  I. GAMES WITH MARBLES.
    Ring Taw                                                  9
    Lag Out or Knock Out                                     10
    Three Holes                                              12
    Arches                                                   13
    Bonce-Eye                                                13
    Sun and Planet Taw                                       15
    Pyramid                                                  19


  II. GAMES FOR COLD WEATHER.
    Prisoners' Base                                          21
    Stag Out                                                 22
    Warning                                                  23
    Mouse in the Corner                                      23
    King of the Castle                                       24
    Hippas                                                   24
    Thread the Needle                                        24
    Touch                                                    25
    Bowls                                                    26
    Quoits                                                   27
    Why and Because                                          27
    Bombardment of a Snow Castle                             29
    Bandy Ball or Golf                                       31
    Foot Ball                                                32
    Trussing                                                 32
    Follow my Leader                                         33
    Blindman's Buff                                          33
    Tip-Cat                                                  34
    Jingling                                                 35
    French and English                                       36


  III. DANGEROUS GAMES.
    Heap the Bushel                                          37
    Drawing the Oven                                         37
    Hop-Scotch                                               38
    Basting the Bear                                         38
    Buck, Buck                                               38


  IV. GYMNASTICS.                                            39
    Walking                                                  44
    Running                                                  45
    Leaping                                                  46
    Climbing                                                 49
    Rope Ladder                                              50
    Slant Board                                              50
    Vaulting                                                 50
    Balancing                                                51


  V. CRICKET.                                                55
    Laws of the Game of Double Wicket                        59
    The Bowler                                               61
    The Striker                                              62
    The Wicket-Keeper                                        64
    Laws for Single Wicket                                   65
    Bets                                                     67


  VI. SWIMMING.                                              69
    Preliminary Exercises in Swimming                        78
    Bernardi's System                                        83


  VII. GARDENING.                                            89
    How to keep a Garden all the year round, with
      directions for each month                             105


  VIII. CARPENTERING.                                       115
    Uses of the various Tools:--Plane, Chisel Gimlet,
      Mallet, Hammer, Files and Nails.                      116
    Stuff and Labour                                        121


  IX. KEEPING POULTRY.                                      123
    Nature and Situation of Fowl-House                      124
    The Various Breeds of Fowl                              126
    Choice of Stock                                         128
    Food and Feeding                                        128
    Laying                                                  129
    Preservation of Eggs                                    129
    Hatching Chickens                                       130


  X. BEES.                                                  131
    Queen Bee.--Drone.--Construction of Nests.--How
      to get a Stock of Bees.--Hiving                       134




PREFACE.


The prime object of this book is to induce and to teach boys and girls
to spend their hours out of school in such a manner, as to gain innocent
enjoyment while they promote their own health and bodily strength. The
Author has never lost sight of this object, considering it to be what
properly belongs to a Book of Sports.

He has, however, in many instances, had in view, in a subordinate
degree, the intellectual improvement of his young readers. He hopes that
several of the games, now described in print for the first time, will be
found, if not "royal roads," at least delightful ones, to the knowledge
of many scientific facts. There seems to be no good reason why the
_utile_ (