The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1869-05-28
Cronnei.

NNdt AHNnildI VIII tut tlcultHhhIN pilNciDlef
OF this tascinaiinR game, that has geined a
popularity in This country truly wonderful ia
the uninitiated, but the most natural to all
who undcrstaHd the merits ~ The game.
Unlike nearly every amusement and divert.
isement that has become suddenly popular in
this county, the interest in croquet, not oniy
does not decrease, but universally continues
to increase year after year wherever intro.
duoed, andthis sGason more sets Of croquel
implements are being sold in Massachusetts,,
where the game was first introduced a hall
dozen years ago, than IN any previous sea.
son, Every person that has no knowledge oi
the game expresses the same opinion. 81
don't see the sport in such 9 game as that; II
seems 30 ally to knock balls around at ran.
dom IN that way" And 10 is equally true
that every person from ten years old TO sixty,
that ever plaTed a half dozen games, Is per
fectly fascinated with v, and the more they
play the more they are interested. IL IA
probably a fact that the game Of croquot Il
not perfectly understood-in theory, even
by one In ten Of those who consider them.
selves considerably expert, and while theory
alone will pot make up Tor entire want OF eX-
p%ericnce and precision In stroke, vet a player
with the latter qualifications will often be
| completely vanquished by a player. much in
ferior in stroke. that understands fully the
laws and fine points, so intimately are the
mental and physical qualities combined In the
game.
1t has often been asserted that croquet
was dependent solely for its popularity on
the fact that ladies and gentlemen can botli
engage in It at the same time, and On nearly
an equal footing. But such is not the truth.
No doubt this association Of the sexes is an
element that goes very Tar in giving the
game an advantage over many other out OF
door sports. hut It Is not the whole. Many
other games have been invented, before and
since croquet, that have embodied this quail
ty and clement, yet they cannot approach u
In popularity. A game must have within H.
self some unusual elements Of interest Ia
gradually win anhpositively sustain the pop.
ularity that croquet at this day pos sesses and
II IL found IN the fact above stated, viz: that
in Il are combined, 10 a greater extent than
in any other, mental and physical exercise
to o moderate degree.
Cruquct, whenit was introduced into this
! country a few years since, was comparatively
| imperfect, both in method and implements
Of the game. Tho laws OF the game a. set
forth In the English and books aud their
imperfect reprints In this country, are inf.
nitoly Inferior to the best practices on Amer
I lean croquct grounds. The American game
is fully explained and illustrated in the last
edition Of "Croqutt ,its Principles and Rules
by Prof. A. Rover, In which II is treated as a
social homo amusement.
Among the numerous manuals In this coun.
try, two or three authors have treated the
game in q scientific Manner One oil
these, q mathematical professor, has treated
II in a strictly mathematical manner, with
special reference TO lie adaptability TO clubs
OF expert players regularly organized but
from his standpoint there may be doubts re.
garding the wisdom Of some OF the rules.
Another author, under the name Of Prof.
Rover, who has devoted his life 10 social and
home amusements, has treated the game In
a manner equally systematic, but with a con-
slant Wow to the enjoyment TO be obtained
- A. -
10 the one idea Of "trbO7nRUfa." There can
be no doubt az 10 the relative healthfnl ef,
focts OF the two methods IN the minds OF
young or old. In the latter, special atten-
ton is given 10 loose crCquet, double points,
the finch, and the boohy. The loose croquet,
or roquot.croquct, which Ia the practice OF
driving two balls ovor tho ground al ono blow
of the mallet, is the most scientific stroke OF
the game, and instead Of combining II to the
rover, this author allows II to all players
alike. tn tho theory Of double points,
which fol,o "a directly from, and il closely
connected with the roquet. croquet, 10 alec
fully explained in accordance with the gene
raj principles Of tho game. The finch is con-
sidercd by hearly oil authors as an offence,
but no two agree in the penalties. Accord
ing to She reasoning adopted by Rover, tho
finch Is not an offence, and hence no penalty
is necessary. Tho boOby, which has hereto.
fore been q constant source Of yexation, Ia
NOW tlillltll AbhllhiAtu-hlN IL htNllH lOI lHt
best OF roa5Ons-or rather from want OF ans
| good reaRon why II should over have been
originated,
In addition, We also find in this mammal ex-
plicit rules for laying out a ground, a new
method OF Designating the several bridges in
the course, and a number Of curious prob
lens for beginners; all of which are illus.
trated with numerous diagrams.
This manual Of 20 PIP, Is publishcd 10y Mil
ton Bradley a Co., OF Springfield, Mass, at
the exceedingly low price Of ten cents per
copy by mail.
Messrs. NJ. b.. 4 Go. are also the patontees
an manufacturer Of BradlCy's Patent Cro-
qucteries, which embody several valuable inn
proyements inthc implements, among which
we notice especially the sockets Tor he
byldges and the WieJindl balls. The sockets
are wooden pins about eight inches long, and
one and FL half inches IN diameter, painted
at the bottom, and having a hole in the ton
just large enough to receive the iron rod OF
which the bridge Is made. Two of these
sockets are driven into the ground in the
proper position to receive the two piers of
each bridge. BY these the bridges are rigid
ly held In an upright position, aud may be
removed from the ground with the rest OF
the implements and replaced in a few mo-
monts. This improvement is highly priced
by every expert player who has over used Il.
In the indeXical balls the mo sides are des-
ignated by stripes, and the individual players
by the general colors OF the several balls. o.
This device avoids many yoNatious mistakes
that are frequently made by taking the ball
Of an enemy for that OF a friend, and Uicf
rerSd.
Parties desiring further information re-
garding the Croquetories can obtain a com.
plete priced catalogue by sending stamp 10
Messrs. Bradley & Co., as above, who also
publish a larger variety Of other home amuse-
ments than any other party in the United
States.