



Produced by Chris Curnow and the Online Distributed
Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was
produced from images generously made available by The
Internet Archive)






PRICE 15 Cts.


ARCHERY RULES


[Illustration: C. F. A. HINRICHS. N.Y.]


C. F. A. HINRICHS,
_No. 29 to 33 Park Place_,
NEW YORK.




Archery.


It is scarcely needful to say anything in praise of Archery. It holds
its place as the first of English sports, and is rapidly becoming
popular in America. It trains the eye, imparts a good and graceful
carriage, expands the chest, and gives plenty of walking exercise
without fatigue; moreover, it is equally adapted for both sexes.


THE EQUIPMENT OF THE ARCHER.

The first thing we have to consider is what constitutes the necessary
outfit for an archer--how it should be chosen, and how taken care of.
Before choosing his outfit, the archer should find a good maker, and
obtain from him a list of prices; having done so, he will be able to
determine what expense he is willing to go to, and then to apply the
following hints in choosing his apparatus. Let us, however, entreat
him not to sacrifice all his hopes of future success to a desire to
get cheap things; let him rely upon it that things obtained at a fair
cost from a good maker are twice as cheap as those whose only
recommendation is their low price.

The following list will show _about_ what is a fair price, and may be
a guide to our readers in future selections.


EQUIPMENTS FOR LADIES.

    Fine Backed Bows, 4-1/2 to 5-1/2 ft.,    $4.50 to 6.00 each.

    Lemon Wood Bows, 4-1/2 to 5-1/2 ft.,     $4.00 to $5.00 each.

    Lance Wood Bows, 4-1/2 to 5-1/2 ft.
    (to weight),                             $2.75 to $4.00 each.

    Lance Wood Bows 4-1/2 to 5-1/2 ft.
    (ordinary),                              75c. to $2.25 each.

    Practising Arrows, 25 inch,              $1.50 to $3.50 per doz.

    Finest French Arrows, 25 inch, (we can
    highly recommend this kind),             $3.50 to $5.00 per doz.

    Old Deal Arrows, 25 inch,                $5.50 to $7.00 per doz.

    Best Footed Arrows, 25 inch,             $8.50 to $11.00 per doz.

    Best Flemish Bow-Strings,                25c. to 50c. each.

    Quivers,                                 $1.50 to $2.75 each.

    Arm Guards,                              $1.25 to $2.00 each.

    Shooting Glove,                          63c. to $1.50 each.

    Tips for Bows,                           50c. per pair.

    Tassel                                   50c. to 75c. each.

    Targets,                                 $1.00 to $7.00 each.

    Target Stands,                           $2.50 to $5.00 each.

    Bow Covers (green baize),                75c. each.

    Scoring Cards and Tablets, Ivory and
    Ebony Prickers, &c.,                     25c. to $2.00 each.


EQUIPMENTS FOR GENTLEMEN.

    Fine Backed Bows, 6 ft.,                 $9.00 to 12.00 each.

    Lemon Wood Bows, 6 ft.,                  $5.00 to $6.00 each.

    Lance Wood Bows, 6 ft. (to weight),      $4.00 to $5.00 each.

    Lance Wood Bows, 6 ft. (ordinary),       $1.50 to $2.50 each.

    Practising Arrows, 28 inch,              $2.00 to $4.00 per doz.

    Finest French Arrows, 28 inch, (we can
    highly recommend this kind),             $5.00 to $6.00 per doz.

    Old Deal Arrows, 28 inch,                $6.00 to $7.50 per doz.

    Best Footed Arrows, 28 inch,             $9.00 to $12.00 per doz.

    Best Flemish Bow-Strings,                25c. to 50c. each.

    Quivers,                                 $2.50 to $3.50 each.

    Arm Guards,                              $1.00 to $2.00 each.

    Shooting Glove,                          75c. to $2.00 each.

    Tips for Bows,                           75c. per pair.

    Tassel,                                  50c. to 75c. each.

    Targets,                                 $1.00 to $7.00 each.

    Target Stands,                           $2.50 to $5.00 each.

    Bow Covers (green baize),                75c. each.

    Scoring Cards and Tablets, Ivory and
    Ebony Prickers, &c., from                25c. to $2.00 each.

NOTE.--Backed Bows are far superior to the Self ones as regards
elasticity and durability.


THE BOW.

Bows are of two kinds. The _self_ bow consists either of one piece of
wood or of two dovetailed together at the handle, in which latter case
it is called a _grafted_ bow; by far the best material for a self bow
is yew, although a variety of other woods, such as lemonwood, lancewood,
&c., are used. As it is but very rarely that we are able to obtain a
piece of yew long enough for a bow of equal quality throughout, the
grafted bow was invented, in order that the two limbs, being formed by
splitting one piece of wood into two strips, may be of exactly the
same nature.

[Illustration: Fig. 1.]

The _backed_ bow consists of two or more strips of wood glued together
longitudinally and compressed so as to ensure perfect union. The
strips may be of the same or of different woods--for instance, of yew
backed with yew, yew with hickory, lancewood, &c.; but of all backed
bows snakewood backed with hickory is far the best. It has been a
great subject of controversy whether the self or the backed bow be the
best for shooting purposes; we most unhesitatingly decide in favor of
the backed.


HOW TO CHOOSE IT.

In purchasing a bow, it is always better to go to a good maker; the
inferior makers, although they may sell their goods a trifle cheaper,
are still not to be depended upon, and as a good deal concerning a
bow has to be taken upon trust--_e.g._, whether the wood is properly
seasoned, horns firmly fastened, &c.--a maker who has a reputation to
lose always proves the cheapest in the end. Having selected a maker
and determined on the price you are willing to give, you will proceed
to see that the bow tapers gradually from the handle to horns; that
the wood is of straight, even grain, running longitudinally and free
from knots and pins, or that, if there are any pins, they are rendered
innocuous by having the wood left raised around them. The bow should
be quite straight, or even follow the string (bend in the direction it
will take when strung) a little. Beware of a bow which bends away from
the string; it will jar your arms out of their sockets, and should the
string break, there will be an end of it. See that both limbs are of
equal strength, in which case they will describe equal curves. The
handle should not be quite in the middle of the bow, but the upper
edge of it should be about an inch above the centre. See that there
are no sharp edges to the nocks on the horns of the bow, for if they
are not properly rounded off they will be continually cutting your
string. Lastly, make sure that your bow is not beyond your
strength--in other words, that you are not overbowed. It is a very
common thing for persons to choose very strong bows under the idea
that it gives them the appearance of being perfect Samsons; but their
ungainly struggles to bend their weapon, and the utterly futile
results of their endeavors, are, we think, anything but dignified.
The weight of the bow should be such that it can be bent without
straining, and held steadily during the time of taking aim. The
strength of bows is calculated by their _weight_, which is stamped in
pounds upon them, and which denotes the power which it takes to bend
the bow until the centre of the string is a certain distance
(twenty-eight inches for a gentleman's, twenty-five inches for a
lady's bow) from the handle. It is ascertained by suspending the bow
by the handle from a steelyard whilst the string is drawn the required
distance. Gentlemen's bows generally range from 48 lbs. to 56 lbs.,
and ladies' from 20 lbs. to 32 lbs.


HOW TO PRESERVE IT.

Many things will spoil a bow which a little care and attention would
prevent. Amongst the most fatal enemies to the bow are chrysals (see
Glossary), which, unless noticed in time, will surely end in a
fracture. A chrysal should at once be tightly lapped with fine string
saturated with glue; this, if neatly done and then varnished, will
interfere but little with the appearance of the bow. Care should be
taken not to scratch or bruise the bow. When shooting in damp weather,
the bow, especially if a backed one, should be kept well wiped, and
perfectly dried with a waxed cloth before putting away. A backed bow
is always the better for a little lapping round each end just by the
horn, which prevents the bow from breaking if by any chance the glue
is softened by damp. A bow should always be kept as dry as possible;
when going to shoot at a distance, a waterproof cover is advisable. Do
not unstring the bow too often while shooting; once in every six
double ends is quite enough, unless there are many shooters.

[Illustration: Fig. 2.]


THE ARROW.

Arrows are distinguished by weight in the same manner as bows, only in
the former it is calculated as weighed against silver money, and
arrows are known as of so many shillings weight, &c. The lengths and
weights recommended by the best authorities are as follows:

                                       _Length._     _Weight._

    For ladies.                          25 in.    2s. 3d.  3s. 3d.

                  { Bows of 50 lbs.    }
                  { and upwards, and   } 28 in.    4   6 to 5   6
                  { 6 feet long.       }
    For gentlemen.{                    }
                  { Bows under 50 lbs. }
                  { and not exceeding  } 28 in.    3   6 to 4   6
                  { 5 ft. 10 in. long. }

There are two kinds of arrows--_self_, made of one piece of wood, and
_footed_, having a piece of hard wood at the pile end. The latter are
the best for several reasons, one being that they are not so likely to
break if they strike anything hard. The best material for arrows is
red deal footed with lancewood.


HOW TO CHOOSE IT.

The first thing to ascertain is whether it is quite straight, which is
done by bringing the tips of the thumb and two first fingers of the
left hand together and laying the arrow thereon, while it is turned
round by the right hand. If it goes smoothly, it is straight; but if
it jerks at all it is crooked. Then make sure that it is stiff enough
to stand the force of the bow without bending, as, if too weak, it
will never fly straight. The pile or point should be what is called
the square-shouldered pile; some prefer the sharp pile, but the other
answers best for all purposes. The nock should be full and the notch
pretty deep; a piece of horn should be let in at the notch to prevent
the string splitting the arrow. The feathers should be full-sized,
evenly and well cut, and inserted at equal distances from each other,
as shown in the plate. It has been much disputed whether the
Bobtailed, the Chested, the Barrelled, or the Straight arrow is the
best to shoot with (see Glossary). Horace Ford, the champion shot,
decides in favor of the straight arrow, and our readers cannot do
better than take his advice. The arrow should be carefully wiped each
time it is picked up, and this not only to preserve it, but also
because the least particle of dirt clinging to the pile will
effectually spoil the flight of the arrow. Every care should be taken
to keep the feathers smooth and stiff; if attention be not paid to
this point everything else will be in vain. Should they by chance
become ruffled, a little warming in front of a fire (not too close)
will generally restore them.


THE BOW-STRING.

The best bow-strings are of foreign manufacture, and are generally
sold complete; but in case any